Do Medical Homes Improve Health Care Quality for CSHCN?
Project Number: R40 MC 03607-03 Project Date: 09/01/2004 Grantee: University of Washington Department/Center: School of Public Health and Community Medicine
Final Report
Pending
Principal Investigator
Frederick Connell MD, MPH, Professor, University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Health Sciences Bldg., F-351 D, Box 357230, 1959 NE Pacific Street Seattle, WA 98195-0001 fredc@u.washington.edu
Abstract
Although it is commonly advocated that Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN), should have a "medical home," there is remarkably little empirical information in the literature about a) how, and to what degree, children with chronic diseases utilize medical homes and b) whether using a medical home is associated with improved quality of healthcare. A critical barrier to our understanding of "medical home" is that there are no clear data-based methods for identifying a "medical home" or for quantifying the degree to which medical homes are utilized by various groups of children. In our own research, and among clinical colleagues, a major challenge continues to be the identification of the primary provider - or medical home - for children with chronic conditions. Furthermore, the most essential question, "Does having a medical home lead to improved quality of care?" remains unanswered. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What kinds of providers - and provider organizations--serve as the medical homes for CSHCN? In this study we will define and identify two possible kinds of medical homes the "Overall Medical Home" (OMH) and the "Primary Care Medical Home" (PCMH).
2. To what extent do CSHCN have different OMHs and PCMHs and what factors are associated with having a single vs. a "divided" medical home?
3. What factors are related to the provider type/specialty of the medical homes utilized by CSHCN?
4. Is quality of healthcare related to the type of a medical home used by CSHCN?
