Affinity Medical Group in Kaukauna receives national medical home recognition
Kaukauna clinic receives highest level of recognition for medical home
04 / 18 / 2011
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Maria Nelson, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
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(920) 554-0686 (pager)
KAUKAUNA, Wis. - Affinity Medical Group in Kaukauna has received national recognition for its medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). It has received Level 3 Physician Practice Connections ® - Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition (PPC-PCMH™).
NCQA recognizes primary care practices that function as patient-centered medical homes, a model of care where each patient is at the center of his/her care and has an ongoing relationship with a personal provider who leads a team that takes collective responsibility for patient care.
Affinity launched Kaukauna as one of two pilot sites, along with the Koeller Street clinic in Oshkosh, in December 2008. Since then, all 26 clinics have begun transitioning to medical homes. Affinity’s medical home teams consist of physicians partnered with advanced practice providers (APNPs or PAs), RN specialists who coordinate chronic disea se management, patient service representatives, health care associates (CMAs or LPNs) and a behavioral health care coordinator. Kaukauna is the second clinic to receive this recognition; Koeller Street received the recognition in February 2011.
"Affinity Medical Group is proud to receive recognition for its medical home at the Kaukauna location," said Dr. Christine Griger, president of Affinity Medical Group. "Since its launch, we have seen how Affinity’s medical home model allows us to deliver on our promise of personalized care as we partner with the patient and customize their health care experience. The medical home model helps us to focus on quality health care and improved health outcomes for our patients."
Some of the areas PPC-PCMH measures include patient tracking and registry functions; access and communication; care management; patient self-management support; electronic prescribing; test tracking; re ferral tracking; performance reporting and improvement, and advanced electronic communications.
NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to assessing and reporting on the quality of managed care plans, managed behavioral healthcare organizations, preferred provider organizations, new health plans, physician organizations, credentials verification organizations, disease management programs and other health-related programs. There are nine PPC® standards, including 10 must pass elements, which can result in one of three levels of recognition. Level three represents the highest level of recognition.
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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a faith-based regional health care network, is the Fox Valley’s second-largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For the fourth consecutive year, Affinity has been named one of the nation’s top 64 health systems based on clinical performance according to Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care. For ten consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It has been nationally ranked in the Top 50 Health Insurance Plans for five consecutive years in the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 26 family practice and specialty clinics – 23 of which are recognized as NCQA Level III medical homes, the highest level of recognition – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.