Six Weld County Banner Health Clinics earn national recognition for Patient-Centered Care

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recently announced that six Weld County Banner Health Clinics received recognition from the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) 2011 program for using evidence-based, patient-centered methods that focus on highly coordinated care and long-term provider-patient relationships.

The patient-centered medical home emphasizes care coordination and communication to transform primary care into "what patients want it to be." Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and improve patients' and providers' experiences. The PCMH recognition program identifies practices that promote partnerships between individual patients and their personal clinicians, instead of treating patient care as the sum of several episodic office visits. Medical homes often offer open scheduling, expanded hours and appropriate use of proven health information systems.

The six Weld County Banner Health Clinics that have received national recognition include:

• Banner Health Clinic in Johnstown
• Banner Health Clinic in Eaton
• Banner Health Clinic in Windsor
• Banner Health Clinic specializing in Internal Medicine – Greeley
• Banner Health Clinic specializing in Family Medicine – Greeley
• Banner Health Clinic specializing in Pediatrics – Greeley

These clinics were selected because they followed Patient-Centered Medical Home standards established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.

"We were gratified by this recognition. We believe strongly in the patient-centered medical home and how it can improve the patient's experience," said J.P. Valin, chief medical officer of Banner Medical Group Western Region.

Banner Health is increasingly using the patient-centered medical home concept at many of its health centers and clinics. As of February 2014, it will have 20 of its health centers and clinics in Arizona and Colorado using the PCMH model.

Banner Medical Group (BMG), Banner Health's employed physician group, is a team of more than 900 physicians and more than 3,300 total employees located in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. BMG doctors and other providers care for patients in a variety of care settings. BMG primary care providers like pediatricians, internists, family medicine physicians and obstetrician/gynecologists staff Banner Health Clinics and Banner Health Centers. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com/bmg.

NCQA is a private, nonprofit 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.  

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SOURCE Banner Health