Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative Stakeholders' Meeting Builds on Primary Care Foundation for Health Care Transformation

Dartmouth Institute's Elliott S. Fisher, MD, M.P.H., will deliver keynote

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Transformation in health care is moving forward, building on primary care and crucial elements of the patient centered medical home as a foundation. Expert speaker panels will explore how physician practices and demonstration projects on the local, state and regional levels are implementing those elements at the March 30 Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative's Stakeholders' Meeting in Washington, DC.

The PCPCC is a coalition of more than 700 organizations representing the nation's business leaders, consumers, primary care physicians and other health care stakeholders with the shared goal of advancing adoption of the patient centered medical home (PCMH) across the nation. The Stakeholders' Meeting convenes these leaders to share guidelines, cutting-edge ideas and proven practices for expanding the impact of the medical home. The theme for the meeting, "A Foundation for Transformation and Reform," speaks to the centrality of primary care in models that are expanding, such as the medical home, as well as emerging models such as accountable care organizations. The meeting will be held at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"Primary care is the linchpin for health care transformation, and is the foundation for change from fragmented care delivery to the patient centered medical home--a coordinated model that enhances access for patients and enables team-based care," said Edwina Rogers, executive director of the PCPCC. "The medical home has taken hold in communities across the country, and now is making a nationwide impact in federal programs. For those who pay for care, as well as for those who deliver it, our Stakeholders' Meeting creates a rapid learning opportunity so we can more quickly advance an improved model for care delivery."

Elliott S. Fisher, MD, M.P.H., director, Center for Population Health at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, will present a keynote speech, "Primary Care: A Foundation for Transformation." Fisher, a general internist, is the James W. Squires, MD, professor of medicine and community and family medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, as well as senior associate, VA Outcomes Group. His current research focuses on advancing the use of patient-reported measures as tools for improvement and accountability, and the development, pilot testing and evaluation of new models of health care delivery and payment.

The meeting will also feature a keynote facilitated discussion between Sunny Ramchandani of the Office of Director, Office of Personnel Management, and Chet Burrell, president and CEO of CareFirst, about efforts to implement the medical home for federal employees and in statewide efforts.

Thought leaders from industry, federal programs, think tanks and the field will participate in discussion panels at the meeting that will address care coordination, benefit plan design, statewide implementations of the PCMH, consumer engagement and physician practice transformation tools. Speakers include

• John Crosby, JD, chairman, Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative; executive director, American Osteopathic Association
• Paul Grundy, MD, M.P.H, president, Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative; director of healthcare technology and strategic initiatives, IBM
• Edwina Rogers, JD, executive director, Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative
• Julie Schilz, BSN, MBA, director, Community Collaborative and Practice Transformation, Colorado Beacon Consortium
• David Meyers, MD, director of the Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnership, Agency for Health Research and Quality
• Pauline Lapin, MHS, senior advisor, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation
• Veronica V. Goff, vice president, Institute on Health Care Costs and Solutions, National Business Group on Health
• Bruce W. Sherman, MD, F.C.C.P., F.A.C.O.E.M., corporate medical director, Whirlpool Corporation
• Thomas Parry, Ph.D., president, Integrated Benefits Institute
• Diane Davidson, employee benefits manager, RoyOMartin Lumber Company
• Craig E. Samitt, MD, M.B.A., president and CEO, Dean Health System
• Blair Childs, senior vice president, public affairs, Premier Health Inc.
• Dana G. Safran, Sc.D., senior vice president, Performance Measurement and Improvement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Ted Epperly, MD, F.A.A.F.P., family physician, Family Medicine Residency of Idaho
• Hoangmai H. Pham, MD, M.P.H., senior advisor, Center for Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Sunny Ramchandani, Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Director
• Chet Burrell, president and CEO, CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Christine Bechtel, vice president, National Partnership for Women & Families
• Deborah Garneau, MA, chief, Office of Special Healthcare Needs Division of Community Family Health & Equity Rhode Island Department of Health (invited)
• Guy D'Andrea, M.B.A., president, Discern, LLC
• Katherine H. Capps, president, Health2 Resources

For a complete agenda or to register for the PCPCC Stakeholders' Working Meeting, go to http://pcpcc.net/event/meeting/3-30-2011.

The PCPCC is organized and financed to provide better outcomes for patients, more efficient payment to physicians and better value, accountability and transparency to purchasers and consumers. Studies of the PCMH model show that it improves patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. It also lowers health care costs by improving care coordination and communication between primary care physicians and their patients.

About the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative

The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative is a coalition of more than 700 major employers, consumer groups, organizations representing primary care physicians, and other stakeholders who have joined to advance the patient centered medical home. The Collaborative believes that, if implemented, the patient centered medical home will improve the health of patients and the health care delivery system. For more information on the patient centered medical home and a complete list of the PCPCC members, please visit http://www.pcpcc.net/.

SOURCE Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative