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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Grand Rapids, MI, United States, 01/08/2009 - Grand Valley Health Plan (GVHP) has received certification as a Patient Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), through its Physician Practice Connections® program.
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The Grand Rapids based provider of Family Medicine and health benefits is the first in Michigan to achieve this distinction! “Grand Valley’s certification as a Medical Home is a win-win,” said Dr. James Kerby, MD, GVHP’s Vice President of Medical Affairs. “Studies have shown that it can result in lower costs for primary care and less hospitalization” he continued. “Also, fewer problems with things like heart attacks, diabetes, and stroke. If everyone had a medical home it could mean a healthier population and the potential to save billions of dollars a year in health care costs” Kerby concluded.
The PCMH concept is based on the premise that the best health care is not episodic and illness-oriented. Rather, high quality care is patient centered, physician guided, on going and cost-efficient. The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model has been widely accepted and endorsed by the health care community as a promising strategy for addressing growing shortages of primary care physicians by leveling the playing field for compensation with other areas of specialty. The PCMH concept also addresses the rapidly escalating cost of health care for employers and consumers. Here in Michigan, both Blue Cross Blue Shield and Priority Health have come out in support of the concept, and have committed significant resources to physician practices who pilot PCMH programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have committed over $100 million dollars in funding to support the development of the PCMH concept through 2010. In addition, the incoming Obama Administration has pledged its support to PCMH as a component of their health care plan. It is expected that broad implementation by the health care community will likely take 3-5 years.
Though the PCMH concept is seen as a radical change in traditional primary care delivery, its principles are not new to West Michigan. Grand Valley Health Plan (GVHP), a Staff -Model HMO, has embraced this philosophy of care in the Greater Grand Rapids area since its inception in 1982. “Approaching wellness from an integrated, team-based, and patient centered perspective has been a core principal of our business since our founding in 1982”, said Pam Silva, GVHP’s Chief Operating Officer. “It is gratifying to see this approach come of age and be endorsed by so many in the health care community. “We see certification by the NCQA as further affirmation of our approach to care and we are committed to pursuing efforts that demonstrate value for our Members, Stakeholders, & Staff”, Silva concluded.
About the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
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 manages the evolution of HEDIS, the performance measurement tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation’s health plans. The Patient Centered Medical Home Standards emphasizes the use of systematic, patient centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication, and patient involvement.
About Grand Valley Health Plan (GVHP)
Grand Valley Health Plan (gvhp.com) is a staff-model Commercial HMO that specializes in Family Medicine and is dedicated to the principle that the best health care begins and ends with personal, patient-centered, cost-effective, high-quality primary care. Maximizing the health of patients since 1982, Grand Valley Health Plan owns and operates community based Family Health Centers, an Urgent Care Center, in-house Pharmacies, a Diagnostic Radiology Center, Holistic Health Center, and an OB Center in the greater Grand Rapids area. The GVHP health care system integrates physical health care with counseling and wellness services into the Primary Care setting. U.S. News & World Report and the NCQA ranked GVHP #4 in their 2008 list of America’s Best Health Plans. The Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP) also recognized GVHP in 2008. Their Pinnacle Award acknowledged GVHP for Best Practice in Health Care Technology: Using an Electronic Medical Record to Enhance Quality of Care.
Physician Practice Connections® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
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mackb[.]gvhp.com 
