Radiocast: Patient-Centered Medical Home - What You Need to Know

Rand: This is Healthcare 411: Information for better health. You may have heard the term patient-centered medical home but aren’t quite sure what it means. AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn Clancy explains:

Dr. Clancy: The most common definition of a patient-centered medical home is a practice in which a group of health professionals provide a type of expanded primary care - one that takes a team approach and puts the patient at the center of that team. In the concept of a medical home, it would not be unusual for a consumer to stay in touch with their health care team and ask questions through secure e-mail and telephone.

Rand: How do I find a medical home?

Dr. Clancy: Great question! The patient-centered medical home model is spreading, but you may not be able to find them everywhere yet. I strongly encourage consumers to go to their clinicians and say, "I want to be an active partner on my health care team. How can we work together to make this happen?"

Rand: Healthcare 411 is produced by AHRQ, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Rand Gardner for Healthcare 411.