Patient opinion regarding patient-centered medical home fundamentals

Objectives Although conceptually there is agreement on how the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) should be organized, there is little information regarding which PCMH components are the most important to patients. Methods An anonymous, voluntary survey was administered to patients at three US academic medical centers. Questions sought opinions regarding the National Committee for Quality Assurance's key components and essential elements of the PCMH. Analysis of the survey responses was conducted using SAS version 9.1. Results A total of 780 surveys were returned. Patients expressed believing strongly that the ability to coordinate care, help patients to manage their own disease, and track laboratory results were the most important aspects of a PCMH office. There were no differences in response to the survey according to age, sex, race, or site. Patients listed care coordination, patient self-management, and improved access to care as the top priority attributes of a PCMH. Conclusions Patients were consistent in their opinions that care coordination, access, and patient self-management were the most important elements of a PCMH.