New Bedford Community Health is a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), recognized and accredited by the National Committee on Quality Assurance, NCQA. We believe that the PCMH model is a strong avenue for the care of our patients. Through this model, working together with their health care team, patients are able to achieve their best quality of life.
What is Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition?
The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) concept is about finding the best way to deliver patient care. A PCMH is more than just a place to go see the doctor. It's a new way of thinking about healthcare that involves respecting and understanding the whole person: their unique needs, culture, values, and preferences. Care isn't provided by just one person, but by a whole team, including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, care managers, pharmacists, nutritionists, behavioral health specialists, social workers, educators, care coordinators, and most importantly, you and your family. As a crucial member of the team, you will be involved in decisions about your health and health care.
For more information on PCMH or NCQA, visit www.ncqa.org
A Patient-Centered Medical Home Has the Following Characteristics
Each patient has an ongoing relationship with their own personal healthcare provider who provides comprehensive care, understanding, and respecting the patient's unique needs, culture, values, and preferences.
We are committed to meeting all your physical and behavioral health needs, including prevention and wellness, acute care, and chronic care. Your care team works together to ensure the best care possible. This team might include physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers, educators, and care coordinators.
Your team will coordinate your care across all elements of the complex healthcare system, including specialty care, hospitals, home healthcare, and community services and supports, with clear and open communication between all providers, patients, and families.
NBCH demonstrates a commitment to quality and quality improvement by having patients actively involved in decision-making, using evidence-based medicine and clinical decision-support tools to guide decision-making, and expecting physicians in the practice to be accountable for continuous quality improvement.
NBCH delivers accessible services with shorter wait times for urgent needs, including same-day access, expanded hours, around-the-clock telephone or electronic access to a member of the healthcare team, and alternative methods of communication, such as email and telephone care.