TransforMED helps Physicians' Practices and Independent Physician Associations (IPAs) improve quality, safety, satisfaction and the bottomline. More »
|
|
TransforMED helps payers deliver high quality care and reduce costs while improving patient health and increasing staff satisfaction and patient engagement. More »
|
|
TransforMED helps hospitals and health systems engage physicians and improve care through implementation of the Patient-Centered Medical Home. More »
|
| EDUCATION EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY THE AAFP AND TRANSFORMED |
| Free Webinar on Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative (CPCI) |
February 1, 2012 1:00 p.m. CST
What is the CPCI? What does it mean for primary care?
How can it benefit you and your practice?
Led by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative (CPCI) offers a blended payment model from public and private purchasers to primary care practices that provide "comprehensive primary care."
In this free webinar, participants will progress from an overview of the CPCI to a detailed presentation of the practice and community infrastructure requirements for participating in the program.
Click here to register » |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
EASY AUTO-CONVERSION!
If you have MHIQ data from version 2, our automated conversion feature makes it easy to transition your results to version 3 so you can quickly benchmark your practice against the new criteria. |
TransforMED's MHIQ® Patient-Centered Medical Home self-assessment has been updated. Version 3 now incorporates the NCQA's PCMH 2011 Recognition standards. Complete the 9 modules in any order, at your own pace. Some modules might take as little as 15 minutes to finish. An at-a-glance dashboard saves your scores, gives you access to feedback on your results and links to online self-education resources organized by PCMH topic.
Click here for free access to the MHIQ version 3 » |
|
| AMA and TransforMED Release Health IT Tutorials for Physician Practices |
The AMA and TransforMED have released three new online health IT workflow tutorials:
- ePrescribing
- Pre-visit planning
- Point-of-care documentation
The series of short video tutorials provides physicians with guidance on effective use of health IT in their practices and features downloadable tools and best practice resources.
Read the press release »
Access the health IT workflow tutorials » |
 |
|
| TRANSFORMED POSITION PAPER |
| In a Bold Effort Medicare & Medicaid Invite Health Plans to Join in Supporting the Promise of Primary Care |
By Terry McGeeney, MD, MBA - TransforMED President and CEO
With the release of the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative (CPCI), the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI) has defined the future of care delivery in America. This announcement signals that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will lead the industry in reforming health care delivery and supporting primary care to drive improvement in population health. The requirements for multi-payer participation and new payment methodology, with an emphasis on primary care, supports this reformation effort.
Read the position paper » |
|
| PCMH NEWS AT AAFP NEWS NOW (ANN) |
| AAFP, TransforMED Combine Knowledge to Better Serve Members |
|
FPs Share Their Experiences With PCMH Pilot Projects |
By Terry McGeeney, MD, MBA and Bruce Bagley, MD
In an effort to create a more centralized resource for AAFP members seeking to transform their practices to meet the needs of the future of health care, AAFP's practice advancement resources will be combined with those of TransforMED and AAFP members will have expanded access to TransforMED's clinical and practice management experts and support.
|
|
Five family physicians share their successes and challenges as they have worked transformed their practices as part of several different PCMH pilot projects around the nation.
One of the physicians, Tracy Hofeditz, MD said, "By measuring quality, finding opportunities to change and then showing that those changes make a difference in patient care, I am pursuing my own excellence and that of my practice...This work is not optional to me, but necessary."
|
| Read the Guest Editorial at ANN » |
|
Read their story at ANN » |
|
Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative...The Future Is Now |
| |
|
|
|
"The new CMS Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative will compensate primary care practices via a blended payment of a risk-adjusted care management fee averaging $20 pmpm, continued fee for service and a shared savings component. The shared savings flows directly to primary care practices and not hospitals or large systems as in the ACO pilots. CMS has clearly defined the future in what is expected of primary care going forward. The future that everyone has been talking about since 2004 is now."
Read Dr. McGeeney's CEO Report » |
 |
|
Who's Who in the Medical Home?
Defining Team Roles for Improved Access and Quality
|
 By Diane Cardwell, MPA, ARNP, PA-C
TransforMED Director of Practice Transformation
Case in Point Magazine - September 2011
"I get phone calls from someone at my doctor's office, but I am not sure who she is or why she is calling me."
"My day is so hectic. Many times I come out of a patient's room with a task that needs to be done and I don't know who to go to or who will ensure that the task is completed."
These are common complaints in the primary care setting, and all reflect opportunities to improve the team-based approach to healthcare...Read the complete article »
Need help creating effective, integrated, accountable medical teams? Contact us » |
|
ACO
How will you get there?
At the core of the ACO is an efficient primary care system with effective preventive health care services.
The foundation
of such a high-performing primary care system is the PCMH or Patient-Centered Medical Home.
TransforMED is the PCMH leader. TransforMED is
how primary care practices transform to Patient-Centered Medical Homes
and how health care systems become Accountable Care Organizations.
» Find out more about how TransforMED can make your ACO transformation successful
|
|
| TRANSFORMED IN THE NEWS |
| Hospitals and Patient Centered Medical Homes: A Practical Pairing |
|
» Contact TransforMED to bring the benefits of the PCMH to your patients and your health care system |
From Becker's Hospital Review
Business and Legal Issues for Health System leadership
By Kenneth Bertka, MD
Vice President of Physician Clinical Integration at Mercy in Toledo, Ohio
"...Hospitals and health systems pursuing accountable care need high-performing primary care practices as a foundation, and PCMHs can help hospitals and practices align incentives while delivering coordinated and comprehensive care. ... For hospitals and health systems looking to improve the operations of their primary care practices, PCMH conversion may be the answer. In fact, many have turned to TransforMED, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians, for guidance with the challenging process of PCMH transformation."
» Read the article at Becker's Hospital Review |
|
For Practices Large and Small,
Here's Good News About the Patient-Centered Medical Home |
 Small Practice Solutions
Small Practice Solutions are designed -- and priced -- exclusively for small practices with 1-4 providers, because small practices' flexibility and adaptability gives them an advantage in achieving measurable results from PCMH transformation. Find out more »
- PCMH Assessment - identify expectations, define processes and clarify objectives
- Gap Analysis - pinpoint both your practice's current state and any "low hanging fruit" PCMH opportunities that you can take advantage of now
- Comprehensive Transformation Plan - prioritize and operationalize roadmaps and timelines that meet your practice's PCMH needs and objectives
- Dedicated Program Advisor to provide guidance and feedback
- Memberships in Delta-Exchange - the online learning community for primary care. Access useful PCMH resources, connect with like-minded colleagues, ask questions of experts, and share "what works" with practice leaders who've "been there"
- ACO Resources and Services for PCPs
- On-site and On-line Learning Collaboratives - get everyone on the same page, educated, informed ... and working together
- PCMH Transformation Workbooks
- Assistance with NCQA Recognition
|
| Interested in Small Practice Solutions? Click here |
|
| TransforMED staff update |
Terri Kuhn, BSN, RN, CCRP
joins the team as a Practice Enhancement Facilitator
More » |
 |
Stephanie Plumb, RHIA, MBA
is a Practice Enhancement Facilitator
More » |
|
Sarah Stahl, MBA
joins the TransforMED team as a Project Manager
More » |
|
| Primary Care / Specialist Dialogue is Highlight of Recent CDPHP Learning Collaborative |
 |
Capital District Physicians Health Plan (CDPHP) primary care physicians and staff met face-to-face with area specialists to discuss improving communication for care coordination and collaborative relationships that enhance patient care in the Patient Centered Medical Home.
Click here to read the complete article » |
 |
|
| OUTCOMES FROM THE CAPITAL DISTRICT PHYSICIANS HEALTH PLAN PILOT PROGRAM |
 |
|
 |
"A Health Plan Spurs Transformation Of Primary Care Practices Into Better-Paid Medical Homes"
Health Affairs has published an article exploring the outcomes of a PCMH payment innovation pilot sponsored by Capital District Physicians Health Plan (CDPHP). To help practices transform into medical homes, CDPHP brought in TransforMED to conduct site visits, lead collaborative meetings, and supply coaches to work with clinic staff. TransforMED facilitators also created a layer between the practices and the health plan that helped promote trust in reevaluating their internal workings.
The pilot practices demonstrated considerable cost savings with a rate of cost growth in 2009 that was 23% less than the control practices. The practices also showed improvement on many HEDIS quality improvement metrics.
Click here to read the article at Health Affairs » |
|
Capital District Physicians Health Plan pilot program shows good results
"... Capital District Physicians Health Plan is saving $32 per member, per month, at the three primary care practices that made up the first phase of its patient-centered medical home pilot.
The Albany-based health insurer is working with 21 other area practices for the second phase, and is ready to recruit additional primary care providers for the third part of the initiative, which it is now called the CDPHP Enhanced Primary Care program.
"The program’s initial results have thus far exceeded anyone’s projections"” said Dr. Bruce Nash, chief medical officer for CDPHP ... "
• Read the article at The Business Review »
• Read about TransforMED's role » |
|
| Quality Health Care Delivered Effectively and Efficiently |
 |
From the Center for American Progress
TransforMED and related pilots and projects are highlighted in this "issue brief" that examines some of the existing payment and health care delivery practices that are already improving the quality and slowing the cost growth of health care in the US. The existing and future benefits of Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Accountable Care Organizations and The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation are explored in detail in this comprehensive and comprehensible snapshot.
Read the article at the Center for American Progress » |
|
 |
From the September - October 2011 edition of Annals of Family Medicine:
"As its name implies the Delta-Exchange is a tool to create, refine, and disseminate change. It provides a place to “ask the experts” about an issue or topic. It allows one to disseminate and view online seminars.
It contains “how to” articles on things like group visits and building teams. It allows us to build a wiki – a Web site developed collaboratively by a community where members can add and edit content using interlinked Web pages. It allows us to post ideas and build on them as a community.
In essence, it is our asynchronous boardroom..."
|
|
"...One of the best peer learning tools is Delta-Exchange...in going through the NCQA application process, our practice needed a one-page handout to inform patients about the medical home. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I went to Delta-Exchange and “asked” the group if anyone already had such a document. That same day, I had three examples. This type of sharing is invaluable. It helps the spread of ideas and saves time in busy offices..."
Melissa Gerdes, MD
Trinity Clinic Whitehouse |
|
 |
Download Your Blueprint for Practice Transformation:
The Updated TransforMED
Patient-Centered Model 2.3.3 |
Spark discussions with your team ~ or educate patients about your practice's transformation efforts. Get the TransforMED Patient-Centered Model version 2.3.3 in an easy-to-print full-color PDF. (Updated October 2009.)
Get the TransforMED Patient-Centered Model » |
|
| Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and TransforMED Join with Family Medicine Practices in Medical Home Project |
 |
The Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and TransforMED today announced that three family medicine practices have been selected to receive facilitative and financial support as they implement the patient-centered medical home model. The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and the Arkansas AFP Foundation will provide financial sponsorship for the project. TransforMED's practice enhancement facilitators will work directly with doctors and their staff as they implement new technologies and processes to improve patient access and care outcomes, increase patient and physician satisfaction, and reduce health care costs.
» Read the complete press release |
|
| Georgia AFP and TransforMED Launch 'PCMH University' |
 |
Funded with seed money from the Georgia AFP, the PCMH University program will support physicians making transformative practice change, help practices achieve NCQA Level 3 PCMH recognition, and persuade public and private payers in Georgia that PCMH practices deserve enhanced payment for high quality of care and improved patient outcomes. To keep the PCMH University affordable, most of the practice support takes place via TransforMED's Delta-Exchange online collaborative learning network. Practices participate in webinars, share resources and best practices, and receive specific assignments and coaching from TransforMED's practice transformation experts.
» Read the article at AAFP News Now
» Launch your own collaborative PCMH learning program |
|
| Kansas PCMH Initiative: TransforMED Selected to Provide PCMH Assistance to Practices in the Pilot |
 |
A new initiative focused on the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model of care has been announced by the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians (KAFP). “The initiative embodies the commitment of the state’s leading health care provider groups to move forward into a new medical home model that provides high quality care in Kansas and improves the overall health of our population,” said Carolyn Gaughan, KAFP Executive Director.
Click here to read the KAFP announcement » |
 |
|
| TransforMED Recognized for Best Practices in Workplace Training and Development |
TransforMED has received Best Practices Awards from the Kansas City Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development in three Workplace Learning and Performance categories: program design and development, culture and technology innovation.
"TransforMED is proud to be recognized by the KC-ASTD for our work in the areas of culture, program design and technology innovation," said Terry McGeeney, MD, MBA, president and CEO of TransforMED. "Our knowledgeable team of experts has developed unique tools and best practices that are helping more than 17,000 physicians nationwide in their efforts to become medical homes. It is most gratifying to know that our efforts truly are transforming the way primary care is delivered." Read the press release »
|
|
| RECENT PCMH PUBLICATIONS FROM TRANSFORMED AND MGMA |
| The Transformation Series
TransforMED Practice Enhancement Facilitators are sharing their learnings on how to transform a practice into a high-performing patient-centered medical home. Based on the TransforMED Patient-Centered Model, these workbooks provide practices concise, step-by-step information on relevant topics in health care delivery and medical practice transformation. Find out more about TransforMED workbooks » |
|
 |
NEW: Patient-Centered Medical Home Care Coordination Workbook
In the PCMH model, primary care practices guide and advise their patients beyond the practice setting, often through cooperative alliances and structured relationships. Care coordination expands the definition of team to include all providers, locations and resources necessary to meet the patient’s health care needs – specialists, hospital facilities, home health facilities, pharmacists, social workers – any health care entity that affects the patient’s health care. Effective care coordination provides for an understanding of each team member’s role and responsibility at the time of the patient interaction and a clearly defined flow of accurate information between team members.
Click here to buy the book » |
|
| TransforMED to Help Peers for Progress Practices Meet PCMH Guidelines |
 |
“Physician-led teams can play a critical role in helping patients with diabetes make needed lifestyle changes, but most patients need additional support outside of their doctor's office," said Terry McGeeney, MD, President and CEO of TransforMED. "We look forward to working with the selected practice sites to ensure patients reap all of the benefits the medical home model has to offer, including improved access to care, better care coordination and management, and the technologies and processes that better enable health care providers to monitor patient outcomes and connect them to the peer and community supports they need."
Click here to read press release » |
|
| Georgia Academy of Family Physicians Launches Georgia PCMH University |
 |
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) announced a two year project that will assist family physicians in Georgia to achieve NCQA recognition as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). This project, Georgia PCMH University, includes 22 family medicine practices, two internal medicine practices and three family medicine residency programs in the cities of Ocilla, Athens, Statesboro, Rome, Kennesaw, Conyers, Duluth, Thomason, Lawrenceville, Brooklet, Cairo, Sandy Springs, Marietta, Riverdale, and Atlanta. The practice education program is being delivered via a virtual transformation format on TransforMED’s Delta-Exchange online learning community, supplemented by 5 face-to-face learning collaboratives over the next 2 years. |
|
 Peer-to-peer learning
From Real Life Practice Transformation - A Family Practice Management Blog
"...One of the best peer learning tools is Delta-Exchange. This networking web site launched by TransforMED now has hundreds of members, from physicians to nurses, consultants and practice managers. Members can share documents, read blogs and articles, and post questions to the group. Just last week, in going through the NCQA application process, our practice needed a one-page handout to inform patients about the medical home. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I went to Delta-Exchange and “asked” the group if anyone already had such a document. That same day, I had three examples. This type of sharing is invaluable. It helps the spread of ideas and saves time in busy offices..." Read the blog posting by NDP participant Melissa Gerdes, MD »
Find out more about Delta-Exchange - TransforMED's online, collaborative network for primary care practice transformation. » |
|
| Evidence of the value of facilitation |
 |
The Robert Graham Center has released a new one-pager entitled "The Effect of Facilitation in Fostering Practice" by Carlos Roberto Jaén MD PhD, et al. The report summarizes the researchers' findings that "Working with facilitation agents measurably improves the ability of motivated primary care practices to move towards improved models of care." Read the Graham Center report » |
|
| An "epidemic" of residency redesign is sweeping the nation... |
Thinking about what you might do next year to redesign your residency to meet or exceed any one of the proposed changes announced recently by the RC-FM and ABFM? You're in luck, because Family Medicine just published a dedicated issue on the topic of residency redesign. Read the issue online at STFM.org »
The P4 residency programs are telling stories — from the recruitment effects of curriculum innovations to improving chronic care in teaching practices — that provide a knowledge-based approach about how you can implement ideas just like theirs.
Residency redesign works best when ideas are tested at more than one residency... What idea do you want to try? |
 |
|
TransforMED and RelayHealth Align to Provide Patient-Centered Health Care Connectivity Solutions
TransforMED, the national leader in patient-centered medical home transformation, and RelayHealth, a leader in clinical, financial and administrative health care connectivity, announced a strategic alliance to offer solutions that will improve health care delivery within the PCMH model of care.
Recognizing that the alignment of people, processes and technology is essential to the PCMH model, TransforMED and RelayHealth are committed to helping primary care practices implement patient-centered technology to address the complex communication needs of patients, doctors, payors and pharmacies. RelayHealth and TransforMED offer the most comprehensive and experienced support on the market to practices working to become patient-centered medical homes, while also helping them streamline time-consuming administrative tasks, such as appointment scheduling and prescription fill requests... Read the press release » |
|
PATIENT EDUCATION TOOLS FOR PRIMARY CARE PRACTICES
TransforMED Partners with Emmi Solutions to Educate Patients About the Benefits of the Patient-Centered Medical Home
| INTRODUCTION TO THE PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME |
| |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Emmi Solutions, TransforMED and the PCPCC have partnered to create a web-based patient education tool designed to play an integral role in the transformation of primary care practices to Patient-Centered Medical Homes.
The result is an engaging and educational multimedia experience that helps patients understand the Patient-Centered Medical Home and their important role in the collaborative health and wellness relationship with their primary care practice. Click here to find out more »
Put this exciting patient education tool on your website for FREE by clicking the "Download it" button, above. |
|
|
Dr. Don Klitgaard, MD
from Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa answers: "How has your practice transformation journey changed your leadership style?"
That's just one of the questions we asked the members of TransforMED's Touchstone Group at the Touchstone Reunion learning collaborative. The video responses are as inspiring, interesting and varied as the physician leaders themselves. The Touchstone group is a continuation of the collaboration between TransforMED and many of the practices that participated in the Medical Home pilot National Demonstration Project.
See all the Touchstone Group Leadership Videos »
Read about the Touchstone Group Learning Collaborative »
|
|
| |
Toll Free 1.866.826.8700 | Phone 913.906.6330 | Fax 913.906.6326 | info@transforMED.com
TransforMED is how primary care practices become high-performing Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH). Using a transformative process of practice redesign focused on patient care and practice team satisfaction, organized around the 
TransforMED
also coordinates a residency demonstration initiative known as P4
– which stands for Preparing the Personal
Physician for Practice. P4 is leading the transformation of
family medicine residency education training to prepare tomorrow's physicians
for new models of care and demonstrate the value of science-based, high
quality, patient centered primary care. 
29 AAFP Chapters are now taking advantage of TransforMED's new AAFP Chapter Partner program. The partnership provides TransforMED tools, access to TransforMED speakers with expertise in areas related to the patient-centered medical home, special events, and other TransforMED resources to AAFP Chapters who join the program. 
The beginning of a new year is often the time when practice leaders and managers consider goals for the coming year. Those goals should then be translated into the performance expectations for the staff. If you are transforming your practice to become a medical home, the review of the performance plan is an ideal time to discuss development opportunities with your staff members. Medical Home leaders should consider three factors in discussions with staff members. These should be focused on opportunities that will prepare them to become vital members of the Medical Home.
