Nebraska Medical Home Definition
A health care delivery model in which a patient establishes an ongoing relationship with a physician in a physician-directed team to provide comprehensive, accessible and continuous evidence-based primary and preventative care, and to coordinate the patient’s health care needs across the health care system in order to improve quality, safety, access and health outcomes in a cost effective manner. 

What is a Patient-Centered Medical Home?
A PCMH is a primary care medical clinic where physicians and staff create a more holistic focus on an individual patient’s needs.  PCMH is also a process that primary care offices go through to make the care they provide more efficient and to enable all medical staff to work to the “top” ability of their license.  PCMH includes nurses, working as team members with their patient’s primary care physicians, to coordinate care using technology to identify patients with specific needs.  Examples can be using electronic health records to generate reminders for vaccinations, follow up after a hospitalization or getting the patient to diabetic education classes that teach a patient to check with own blood sugar levels and what foods are health or detrimental to their condition. 

Why a Patient-Centered-Medical Home Works?
PCMH’s work because less duplication of medical tests, fewer emergency room visits, fewer hospital re-admissions for the same condition, helping patients play a more active role in their care, increased use of preventive care and testing, less delay in getting an appointment, more comprehensive care in the office, less costly care when conditions are caught in early stages, and better coordination and continuity of care from one medical facility to another.  This results in long term health care costs savings, better health outcomes, and more satisfied staff and patients.

What are the 7 Joint Principles of PCMH?
Personal Physician
Physician Directed Practice Team Provides Care
Whole Person Orientation
Coordination of Care
Safety and Quality are Hallmarks
Enhanced Patient Access
Payment System Supports the Model