Home, sweet medical home

Organization recognizes UF, Shands Jacksonville for patient-centered care

By Dan Leveton

The National Committee for Quality Assurance has recognized the UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville and Shands Jacksonville as Patient-Centered Medical Home providers. This prestigious designation highlights UF and Shands’ commitment to following a set of national standards geared toward improving teamwork, better coordinating patient care and building the relationships between providers and patients.

The UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville and Shands Jacksonville are the first and only health organizations in Northeast Florida as well as the only academic medical group in Florida to receive this designation.

“Our focus is always on providing the most comprehensive and meaningful care possible for patients and their families,” said Nipa R. Shah, M.D., chair of the UF department of community health and family medicine in Jacksonville. “This means using the core principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home model of health care. As part of our mission, we also want to make sure that care is accessible and centers on what is best for each individual. This designation recognizes us for the high quality of care that we strive to provide at every patient visit, and beyond.”

The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of health care delivery that aims to improve the quality and efficiency of care and includes practices that promote partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians. Clinician-led care teams provide for all the patient’s health care needs and coordinate treatments across the health care system.

“Our patients always come first, and the medical home program is another way to give them the compassionate care all physicians strive for,” said Robert Nuss, M.D., dean of the regional campus for the UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville.