Study: Medical Homes Only Bring Modest Improvements in Quality, Satisfaction

Tags: medical homes | outcomes | patient experience | primary care | quality

Researchers have suggested that the transformation of primary care clinics into medical homes may yield only modest improvements in healthcare quality and patient experience, according to a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

For their study, the researchers assessed quality and patient experience outcomes among 21 Minnesota primary care clinics that are attempting to achieve level III recognition as medical homes by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. These clinics have been collecting data on these metrics for an undisclosed number of years. Researchers used this data to compare this group of primary care clinics to other groups in the community.

The results of their analysis showed that the 21 primary care clinics achieved a modest 1-3 percent increase each year in patient satisfaction. The clinics also experienced a 2-7 percent increase per year for performance on quality measures for diabetes, coronary artery disease, preventive services and generic medication use. When compared to other primary care groups in the community, rates for quality improvement were similar for both groups, though the 21 primary groups achieved a greater increase in patient satisfaction.

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