Parrish Medical Group Earns PCMH Certification

National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded Parrish Medical Group family practice physicians with a Level 3 certification (the highest level awarded) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Included are the physicians of the former Titusville Family Practice: Patricia Alexander, MD; Jade Raguindin, MD; J. Merrell Pagan, MD; Dawn Hillebrandt, ARNP; Rachel Loeffler, ARNP; and Victor Boodhoo, MD. Measuring and encouraging improvement in patient care is an important endeavor for NCQA. This certification was an initiative of the Florida Health Network.

A PCMH is not a place or a destination. It is a primary care organizational model and refers to the way in which care is organized for the patient. The goal is to transform and redesign healthcare using five joint principles, which are based on six evaluation standards.

These five principles are:

1. Comprehensive care: Providing a full spectrum of services for both physical and mental health.
2. Patient-centered care: A partnership between the doctor, the patient and the family.
3. Coordinated and integrated care: How the care is coordinated between providers and care settings, such as specialty care, home health, acute care and community resources.
4. Accessible services or enhanced access: Shorter waiting times to speak to a physician or a practice, including extended hours, and telephone or electronic communication (email).
5. System-based approach to quality: Uses guidelines and tools to measure performance and identify gaps in care.

These are the first Parrish Medical Group physicians to undergo this certification process. For more information call 321-268-6PMG (6764).