Medical providers across the country are exploring a new trend in patient care – “patient centered medical homes” – which means many will have access to higher-quality, consumer-focused care.
In these reorganized practices, evening and weekend hours are only part of the difference. When you visit your doctor you won’t feel you’re getting the bum’s rush before you have a chance to get your questions answered. If you’ve had a blood test or a CT scan, you won’t have to call the office half a dozen times chasing down the results. And if you leave the hospital with an incomprehensible “discharge plan,” someone from your doctor’s office will help you arrange your follow-up care.
Funding from the Affordable Care Act has helped strengthen several pilot programs in the past few years.
Benefits of patient centered medical homes include same day appointments, extended hours, online access to medical records, and more coordinated specialty care.
