The Patient Centered Primary Care Home

The Patient Centered Primary Care Home (PCPCH) is a new model of primary care that has received attention in Oregon and across the country for its potential to advance the “triple aim” goals of health reform: a healthy population, extraordinary patient care and reasonable costs. Patient Centered Primary Care Homes achieve these goals through a focus on wellness and prevention, coordination of care, active management and support of individuals with chronic diseases and a patient centered approach to all aspects of care.

Patient Centered Primary Care Homes focuses on these 6 premises:

1. ACCESS TO CARE:  “Be there when I need you”.  This allows for the patient to receive care and advice when they need and want it. It provides flexible, responsive options to get care in a timely way.
2. ACCOUNTABILTIY:  “Take responsibility for making sure I receive the best possible health care”.
3. COMPREHENSIVE WHOLE PERSON CARE: “Provide or help me get the health care and services I need”.  This includes prevention services, acute care, care for ongoing problems, and help for mental health conditions or problems with substance or alcohol use. It also provides education to help the patient understand health risks and/or conditions and tools and support to manage their own care.
4. CONTINUITY: “Be my partner over time in caring for my health”. The patient can choose their own personal clinician who will have access to information about their health history, needs and values.
5. COORDINATION AND INTEGRATION: “Help me navigate the health care system to get the care I need in a safe and timely way”. The PCPCH will help make sure the patient understands what care or services they need to stay healthy and manage medical and mental health problems and where to get them. This will help to avoid unnecessary tests, procedures or interventions.
6. PERSON AND FAMILY CENTERED CARE: “Recognize that I am the most important member of my care team – and that I am ultimately responsible for my overall health and wellness”. This premise is centered on listening to the patient and their family members or caregivers and promotes experiences that enhance independence and control over their health.

Santiam Hospital is committed to the PCMH approach to providing comprehensive primary care for children, youth and adults. Our hospital is dedicated to facilitating partnerships between individual patients, and their personal physicians, and when appropriate, the patient’s family.