Pediatrician’s Frequently Asked Questions about Medical Home
1. Why Should I Join the Medical Home Initiative in North Dakota?
You have the opportunity to a change agent among other primary care providers within your facility. Only one pediatrician is being chosen per facility.
2. What are the benefits to my practice for joining this initiative?
You will receive $200 per month upon receipt of required monthly reporting. Other benefits include improved family and provider satisfaction, as well as potentially decreasing medical costs.
3. What are my responsibilities?
a. Set a medical home team in your facility to include a care coordinator which may be a nurse, social worker, or other appropriate individual, and two families.
b. Attend three one-day learning collaborative meetings each year to be held in January, April, and September. The first collaborative will be held in January 2009. Your team members will attend with you. CME and CEUs will be acquired. Training expenses will be borne by the North Dakota Integrated Services grant.
c. Meet twice monthly for 1-2 hours with your team members to develop goals, implement change, and evaluate outcomes.
4. What types of support are available as we initiate this endeavor?
The North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities, North Dakota Integrated Services (NDIS) Grant is providing the financial support to implement medical homes training in North Dakota. The North Dakota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics provides physician support in terms of seeking funding sources to include grant writing, assessing reimbursement options, and representing AAP concerns on a variety of task forces. The Medical Home Liaison position is supported by a grant from the North Dakota Department of Health, Children’s Special Health Services.
5. How many medical homes are setting up in North Dakota?
The grant through the North Dakota Center for Disabilities has a three year timeline. In the first year which begins January 2009, five practices will join the effort. In years two and three, three more practices will implement medical home for a total of eight practices by the end of 2011.
6. Is there insurance reimbursement for medical home?
At this time, there is reimbursement for many direct care patient care activities. However, there is no insurance funding for care coordination. This expense will initially be borne by your clinic, with our AAP Liaison seeking alternative funding sources.
7. What is the next step?
a. It is a good idea to meet with your CEO/CFO, clinic manager, and others to assess the level of support of medical home within your organization.
b. Expect a phone call or email from Janel Schmitz, the ND AAP Liaison who has been hired to support the pediatric practices involved with medical home. She will work with you to set a meeting with the ND Integrated Services Representative and herself. Janel’s contact information is:
Janel Schmitz
701.400.3463
c. You may find it helpful to review several excellent websites.
www.medicalhomeinfo.org : The North Dakota page is currently being updated, but the general medical home information provided is excellent.
www.medicalhomeimprovement.org