FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 3, 2023
Family Care Health Centers (FCHC) Recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home with the Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration
ST. LOUIS, MO – Family Care Health Centers, at its Carondelet and Forest Park Southeast centers, has been awarded recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home Program with Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration.
The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a model of care that puts patients at the forefront of care. PCMHs build better relationships between patients and their clinical care teams. Research shows that PCMHs improve quality and the patient experience as well as increase staff satisfaction—while reducing health care costs. Practices that earn recognition have made a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care.
“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that Family Care Health Centers has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.”
Family Care Health Center’s PCMH recognition comes with a distinction in Behavioral Health Integration. Only 484 out of the 11,703 recognized PCMH practices in the United States have a Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration. FCHC is proud to offer integrated behavioral health care to all its patients, including same-day consultations for patients visiting their primary care provider.
“Many times behavioral health conditions are first identified by a primary care provider,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President. “So adding behavioral health care services in a primary care setting is a real opportunity for patients. It knocks down barriers to behavioral care and improves overall health.”
The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home program reflects the input of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Osteopathic Association (AOA), and others. It was developed to assess whether clinician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognize them for these efforts. The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home standards emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication, and patient involvement.
“Here at FCHC, our clinical teams practice with an understanding that a person’s wellbeing includes addressing the whole body, including matters of the mind. FCHC strongly believes a healthy mind is just as critical to living a productive life and incorporated this model well before its NCQA recognition.”, said Aramide Ayorinde, PhD, CEO of Family Care Health Centers. “Our team of behavioral health care providers, inclusive of psychiatrists, psychologists, behavioral health consultants, and more, work alongside the medical provider to ensure the treatment plan identified is appropriate and yields the best result for the individual to thrive. At FCHC, we believe engaging in this model is the right thing to do for our patients.”
About NCQA
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’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices. NCQA can be found online at ncqa.org, on Twitter @ncqa, on Facebook at facebook.com/NCQA.org/ and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa
About Family Care Health Centers
Family Care Health Centers (FCHC) is a non-profit community health center dedicated to providing affordable and accessible comprehensive primary health care services to the residents of St. Louis and the surrounding communities. For over 50 years, FCHC has been committed to offering a full range of services, equalizing the accessibility of quality healthcare to our hometown community members. FCHC can be found online at www.fchcstl.org, Facebook at facebook.com/FCHCstl, and LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/family-care-health-centers.
