A study from the August issue of The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), The Impact of Patient-Centered Medical Homes on Safety Net Clinics, was featured this week in HealthIT Analytics. Nathan Boroyan discussed how using the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model in clinics that serve populations with high rates of emergency department (ED) use could lead to more efficient care and a decline in ED visits. The study was based on experiences in California after a 2011 Medicaid waiver, which called for placing seniors and persons with disabilities in managed care. This caused an increase in visits from those with chronic conditions to safety net clinics, but allowed for more care coordination. After implementing the PCMH model, safety net clinics saw ED visits drop by 70 visits per 1000 members per year.

Yahoo Finance published a report on a recent AJMC study, “Risk Contracting and Operational Capabilities in Large Medical Groups During National Healthcare Reform.” The study, by Robert E. Mechanic, MBA, and Darren Zinner, PhD, found that large, multi-specialty medical groups with more risk-based payment contracts across all payers are likely to invest in infrastructure and create incentives necessary for improved quality, safety and fewer unnecessary hospitalizations.