ECMC centers earn national recognition for quality services

ECMC primary care centers meet National Committee for Quality Assurance’s quality standards for use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication & patient involvement

Erie County Medical Center Corp. announced the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has again recognized ECMC’s Family Health Center and its Internal Medicine Center for achieving sustaining practices through the New York State Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program. Both primary care services had been previously designated PCMH programs: Family Health Center in 2016 and the Internal Medicine Center in 2017.

ECMCC President and CEO Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., Ph.D., said, “ECMC’s Family Health Center and our Internal Medicine Center have consistently provided high-quality primary care services to their patients, which is reaffirmed by this updated national recognition for these centers. Their patient-centered, holistic approach to care sets them apart.”

The PCMH program includes the input of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and others in extension of the Physician Practice Connections Program. It was developed to assess whether physician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognize them for these efforts. The PCMH standards emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication and patient involvement.

NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane said, “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. Recognition shows that the ECMC Family Health Center and Internal Medicine Center have the tools, systems and resources to provide patients with the right care, at the right time.”

A press release said, “ECMC’s Family Health Center in partnership with UB Family Medicine offers access to a diverse group of university physicians for primary care and family medicine services. Here, families – including children, adults and seniors – have easy access to a variety of physicians, including family physicians, pediatricians and geriatric specialists for senior care. The ECMC Family Health Center offers an on-site lab facility, as well as flexible scheduling, including evening and weekend appointments.

“ECMC’s Internal Medicine Center, in partnership with UB Internal Medicine, offers access to a diverse group of university internal medicine physicians for adult primary care services. Adults and seniors have easy access to a variety of physicians, including primary care physicians, geriatric specialists for senior care, and an integrated variety of physician specialists, including podiatrists, rheumatologists and endocrinologists. The Internal Medicine Center offers flexible scheduling, including early morning hours and walk-in sick or urgent appointments.

“NCQA PCMH recognition is the most widely adopted model for transforming primary care practices into medical homes. Research confirms medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patients’ and providers’ care experience.”

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 is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers. NCQA recognizes the vital role clinicians play in advancing quality. The recognition programs assess whether clinicians and practices support the delivery of high-quality care. The recognition programs are built on evidence-based, nationally recognized clinical standards of care. The official NCQA directory of recognized clinicians can be accessed at http://recognition.ncqa.org

The ECMC Corp. was established as a New York State Public Benefit Corporation and, since 2004, has included an advanced academic medical center with 573 inpatient beds, on- and off-campus health centers, more than 30 outpatient specialty care services and Terrace View, a 390-bed long-term care facility. ECMC is Western New York’s only level 1 adult trauma center, as well as a regional center for burn care, behavioral health services, transplantation, medical oncology and head and neck cancer care, rehabilitation and a major teaching facility for the University at Buffalo. Most ECMC physicians, dentists and pharmacists are dedicated faculty members of the university and/or members of a private practice plan.