October 29 and 30, 2009: Building a Health Care Home Conference
In the midst of the H1N1 pandemic, about 260 physicians, nurses and other health care providers took time away from their busy schedules to talk about the importance of patient and family-centered care for primary care clinics.
In many ways, it is at the center of healthcare reform.
Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Sanne Magnan was one of many speakers who emphasized the importance of health care homes.
“Health care is going to change,” she said. “Health care homes is the way health care has to go. Whether or not there are rules around health care homes, whether or not there are payments for primary care coordination, policy makers are listening and there will be rewards for going in this direction. Even Medicare is looking at elements in health care homes.”
Beverley Johnson, BSN, president and CEO of the Institute for Family-Centered Care in Bethesda, Marilyn, presented many tips on how to implement healthcare homes.
Here were a few:
The best prescription for non-compliant patients is to engage them.
Develop a care plan with patients, not for patients.
Changes don’t have to be expensive.
It’s difficult, but not impossible to develop a health care home.
