What does the "medical home" model focus on?

The "medical home" model is fundamentally about creating a comprehensive and patient-centered approach to healthcare delivery. This model emphasizes the coordination of care, ensuring that patients receive the appropriate services they need, regardless of where they are in the healthcare system. By focusing on the whole patient, the medical home model facilitates improved communication among healthcare providers and ensures that care is continuous and integrated over time, rather than being fragmented.

Within this model, healthcare teams work collaboratively to manage both physical and mental health needs, preventive services, and chronic disease management. This holistic approach not only aims to enhance patient satisfaction but also seeks to improve health outcomes and reduce costs by preventing unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency visits. Therefore, the emphasis is on providing coordinated care rather than isolated services, emergency care alone, or fostering competition among providers—key characteristics that distinguish the medical home model from other types of care delivery.