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Maintaining patient centered primary care home recognition

Medical Home recognition (either NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home or Oregon’s Patient-Centered Primary Care Home (PCPCH)) is an LHP membership requirement for primary care practices. If your practice is recognized by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), it may be time for you to reapply to maintain your status. By demonstrating the extent to which you have achieved the 35 standards outlined in the PCPCH model, clinics are awarded one of five tiers of recognition by OHA for a period of two years, at which time they must reapply to maintain their status.

The purpose of recognition is to assist practices in continuous improvement in primary care delivery. The expectation is that practices will use the standards as a framework for their daily operations to better meet the healthcare needs of their patients. Recognized practices are recommended to regularly revisit their progress on standards throughout their recognition period. Doing so also makes the re-application process more efficient and manageable.

Practices recognized prior to January 1, 2021 will find some criteria have been updated since they last applied for recognition. Practices will need to re-attest to the 2020 recognition standards and the revised criteria outlined below:

  • Three new standards:
    1. Alternative access
    2. Staff vitality
    3. Oral health services 
  • An increased emphasis on outcomes and health equity
  • COVID-19-related considerations

LHP recommends practices familiarize themselves with the updated standards well before it is time to re-apply for recognition. A self-assessment is also available to help practices assess their current state and prioritize their PCPCH efforts.

Need additional support through the recognition process? Ask your Provider Outreach and Engagement Advisor about our quality improvement consulting services offered through Legacy Partner Solutions.