Published in:
01-10-2019 | Care | Original Research
Provider Experiences with a Payer-Based PCMH Program
Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine | Issue 10/2019
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Background
The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is an enhanced primary care model that aims to improve quality of care. Over the past several years, the PCMH model has been adopted by Medicare and private payers, which offer financial resources and technical assistance to participating practices. However, few studies have examined provider experiences and perspectives on the adoption of payer-based PCMH models in different practice settings.
Objective
The goal of this qualitative study was to analyze how providers experienced specific elements of a payer-based PCMH model and identify cross-cutting themes that can be applied to other payer-based PCMH initiatives.
Design
Observational qualitative study.
Participants
A total of 65 individuals (which includes 57 primary care physicians) participated in focus group sessions. Telephone interviews were conducted with an additional 14 physicians and 2 practice administrators.
Approach
Interviews and focus groups were recorded after obtaining the informed consent of participants. Written transcripts from the recordings were then imported into NVivo 11 for subsequent coding and qualitative analysis of themes.
Key Results
We found that nurse care coordinators (NCCs) were the single most valuable and visible program element. Individual care plans served as effective tools of communication between the NCC and physician on patient care management goals and issues. The online data portal was viewed as the least valuable element. With regard to cross-cutting themes, some providers expressed a strained relationship with CareFirst due to communication challenges, a lack of trust, and differing priorities in selecting patients for care plans.
Conclusion
Nurse care coordinators and the targeted use of individualized care plans are essential components in a payer-based PCMH program. Improving communication and trust in data reports are critical for effective implementation. Future research should examine provider experiences in other payer-based PCMH programs to see how interactions with payers affect program implementation.