It has been a lot of work for the Hurley MOB Family Medical Clinic, but it paid off with a new "Medical Home" designation, which means the clinic can boast a bit about the high level of quality service it provides - and patients can be assured that the care they receive will be excellent.

The clinic, operated by the Hurley Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program, recently was designated as a Patient-Centered Medical Home by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan due to its "strong commitment to delivering patient-centered primary care, engaging patients in health care, and improving medical outcomes for Michigan residents," according to the official certificate. The designation is effective Sept. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2024.

Hurley's MOB Family Medical Clinic, located on the second floor of the Medical Office Building, treats patients from newborn to geriatrics.

Clinic Director Adiraj Singh MD, program director for Hurley's Combined Med/Peds Residency Program, said they have been working hard to integrate evidence-based guidelines into everyday patient care in order to better prevent and treat illness, as well as setting up systems to provide data to demonstrate this.

"It was challenging to meet the requirements, as there are at least a dozen different quality metrics," said Singh. "We need to address these metrics in the midst of taking care of complex medical issues, which can be very overwhelming."

He said he was happy and relieved to learn of the designation - and immediately thought, "The hard work being put in by the ancillary staff, residents and faculty was paying off."

We want to do right by our patients, teach our residents, and satisfy insurance companies - all within three hours of clinical time. ~Adiraj Singh MD

For Hurley, the designation is proof that the clinic meets quality standards, but it also is an opportunity for higher reimbursement for BCBSM commercial claims payments, as well as other PCMH incentives through other health plans, such as Priority Health, Blue Cross Complete, Meridian, etc., according to Jennifer Peyerk, senior practice consultant with Medical Advantage.

To meet the qualifications of a PCMH, the clinic had to incorporate best practices for primary medical care. The clinic uses a patient-centered, culturally appropriate, and team-based approach to coordinate patient care across the health-care system. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the PCMH model is associated with high-quality, cost-effective primary care and is especially effective with chronic disease management and increased preventive care. Patient and provider satisfaction levels also are higher with the PCMH model.

In essence, it aligns care with state & federal initiatives and payer quality metrics, reducing fragmentation in the complex health-care system. So costs are naturally reduced. And best care is provided, as shown by the quality metrics.