16 Aurora sites receive national recognition for approach to care
Contact: Phill Trewyn, (414) 390-5500, phil.trewyn@aurora.org
Milwaukee, Wis. – Sixteen Aurora Health Care sites have achieved level 3 recognition – the highest level available – as patient-centered medical homes from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Clinics with patient-centered medical home status are recognized for providing coordinated and consistent care to patients.
Aurora was the first health system in Wisconsin to have a clinic receive this designation and now 51 have earned this status.
The following Aurora sites have recently earned this recognition:
Aurora Senior Health and Longevity Center
Aurora BayCare Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center – Pediatrics
Aurora Health Center in Sturgeon Bay
Aurora Health Center in Suamico
Aurora Health Center in Racine
Aurora Health Center in Lake Geneva
Aurora Health Center in Cedar Grove
Aurora BayCare Medical Center
Aurora Health Center in Oshkosh
Aurora Health Center in Manitowoc South
Aurora Health Center in Manitowoc North
Aurora Health Center in Fond du Lac
Pediatrics at Aurora Health Center in Marinette-Menominee
Aurora St. Luke’s Internal Medicine-Suite 135
Aurora Health Center in Edgerton
Aurora Health Center in North Fond du Lac
The patient-centered medical home recognition acknowledges a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients, their personal physicians, and when appropriate, the patient’s family.
Specifically, a medical home is a model of care where each patient has an ongoing relationship with a personal physician who leads a team responsible for a patient’s care. The physician-led care team is responsible for providing every patient’s health care needs and coordinating care across the health care system.
A medical home also emphasizes enhanced care through open scheduling, expanded hours and communication between patients, physicians and staff.
The NCQA recognition is built on evidence-based, nationally recognized clinical standards of care. The patient-centered medical home standards emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication and patient involvement.
There are very stringent criteria that must be met before a clinic receives the patient-centered medical designation from NCQA. Key elements of the evaluation include:
Written standards for patient access and patient communication
Use of data to show standards for patient access and communication are met
Use of paper or electronic charting tools to organize clinical information
Use of data to identify important diagnoses and conditions in practice
Adoption and implementation of evidence-based guidelines for three chronic conditions
Active patient self-management support
Systematic tracking of test results and identification of abnormal results
Referral tracking, using a paper or electronic system
Clinical and/or service performance measurement, by physician or across the practice
Performance reporting, by physician or across the practice
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes physicians in key clinical areas.
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
