A lot of money is spent in the United States on health care, and costs are only rising. Unfortunately, services received for the money spent is often less than optimal. Many reasons for this exist, from people seeking medical care only when they are not feeling well, to therapies provided that do not have any proven medical benefit, to patients seeking out multiple specialists for different complaints, but the effect is the same…substandard care at a hefty price. The patient-centered medical home movement is an attempt to change all of this. It seeks a return to the roots of primary care, where the family physician provided for and coordinated the care of his or her patients in a personal, compassionate and cost-effective manner. The characteristics of today’s medical home model can be summed up as follows:
1) Comprehensive. The primary care physician and his or her health care team provide a whole-person approach to medical care, providing for the social, mental and physical needs of patients and their families.
2) Preventative. Care goes beyond just treating illness, but also focuses on prevention, striving to maintain health and decrease the incidence of disease.
3) Patient-centered. Patients take an active role in their own health care, with the physician as coach and facilitator.
4) Evidence-based. Medical care and counsel provided is of proven benefit and can be supported with solid scientific evidence.
Seeking out a primary care provider that implements this patient-centered medical home model can enhance care for a patient and his or her family while keeping medical costs down. North Idaho Direct Primary Care fully supports this movement, and is committed to practicing the highest quality comprehensive medical care at a reasonable price.
