WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Downtown Health Plaza has been recognized for its patient-centered and coordinated care management processes by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) with a designation in the Physician Practice Connections-Patient-Centered Medical Home (PPC-PCMH) program.
The Downtown Health Plaza (DHP) is a primary care practice with more than 50 clinicians affiliated with Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The clinic plays a unique role in the local community, serving primarily Medicaid, Medicare and uninsured patients. The three clinical practices in obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics and adult medicine, along with the ancillary services of radiology, lab and pharmacy, help to assure patient access to quality, affordable health care.
“Our challenge has been to co-create with our patients a ‘medical home’ model that offers comprehensive, family centered, coordinated and compassionate care,” said Robert Jones, director of DHP.
The PCMH designation effort was led by James Wofford, M.D., DHP medical director. It represents a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients and their personal physicians, and, when appropriate, the patient’s family. Care is facilitated by registries, information technology, health information exchange, quality improvement and other means to assure that patients get the indicated care when and where they need and want it in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
“Our practice is the sixth in the state to be designated as a Patient Centered Medical Home, and we’re excited about it,” Wofford said.
NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to assessing and reporting on the quality of managed care plans, managed behavioral health care organizations, preferred provider organizations, new health plans, physician organizations, credentials verification organizations, disease management programs and other health-related programs. An NCQA seal is a widely recognized symbol of quality.
Media Relations
Bonnie Davis: bdavis@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-1597
Mark Wright: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587