Westchester Health Associates Receives National Recognition: Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home Designation

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y., March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Westchester Health Associates is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home from the National Committee for Quality Assurance Physician Practice Connections.  Level 3 designation is the highest achievable recognition for a medical group.  NCQA's Patient Centered Medical Home program recognizes physician practices that prioritize the strengthening of the physician-patient relationship, coordinate care for patients across multiple settings, and engage in a team approach to improving patient care.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110318/LA68038LOGO)

"The Patient Centered Medical Home promises to improve health and health care," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "The active, ongoing relationship between a patient and a clinician in medical homes fosters an all-too-rare goal in care: staying healthy and preventing illness in the first place. PPC-PCMH Recognition shows that Westchester Health has tools, systems, and resources to provide their patients with the right care at the right time."

Our Medical Home program has excelled at improving patient's access to health care, improving communication with patients, and improving the quality of care our patients receive.  According to Dr. Nancy Beran, Chief Medical Officer of Westchester Health, "We have utilized our electronic health record to track test results, to follow patient referrals, to identify patients in need of follow up care for ongoing medical problems, and to reach out to patients who would benefit from more aggressive health care management."

Westchester Health Associates, founded in 2007 by the merger of many longstanding medical practices in the community, is a rapidly growing and expanding multispecialty medical group.  According to Dr. Peter Mercurio, C.E.O. of Westchester Health, "The Medical Home constructs a team approach to quality healthcare that is built on the cornerstone of the strong doctor patient relationship. Westchester Health is dedicated to providing cutting edge care in personal office settings.  The recognition of our achievements in delivering comprehensive care to our patients speaks to our success."  

"Becoming designated as a Level 3 Medical Home is an outstanding achievement for WHA and for our community at large, as it represents a shared commitment to clinical quality with emphasis on continuity of care, electronic medical records and a community health and wellness," stated Joel Seligman, President and CEO of Northern Westchester Hospital.

About 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. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.

www.westchesterhealth.com

SOURCE Westchester Health Associates