Optimus Healthcare Partners

Patient Centered Care

“94% of patients value having a primary care physician who knows about all their medical problems”.

Welcome to your Medical Home. A medical home is an approach to providing total health care. With your medical home, you will join a team that includes health care professionals, trusted friends or family members (if you wish), and most importantly you. Patient centered care is a way of saying that you, the patient are the most important person in the health care system. You are at the center of your health care.

Primary care physicians handle more than just vaccines, treating sore throats, tummy aches, and doing school physicals. Your primary care physician is highly trained and has obtained a vast amount of knowledge to care for all his patients with a wide array of problems and conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, back pain, memory loss, developmental and behavioral problems, heart disease, obesity, asthma and more.

Many Optimus Healthcare primary care practices are Patient Centered Medical Home recognized or are working towards acquiring that designation. This designation is awarded by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality. You the patient are at the center of everything we do, to ensure that your care is coordinated throughout the healthcare system and that you receive the highest level of care with the optimal health outcome.

Primary Care Provider & Specialists

Choosing your Primary Care Provider

The type of primary care physician (PCP) you use will depend on your personal preference or circumstance i.e. a family practitioner, internist, geriatrician or a pediatrician. A physician may have the designation MD (medical Doctor) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathy). It is important to remember that your PCP works for you. Make sure you take the time to make the best choice that you can. Here are some things you can look for to help you make a choice that you are happy with:

What do the people you trust say?
You can ask people you trust about the doctor you are considering. A doctor whose name is mentioned often might be a good possible choice. Your friends can tell you about their experiences.

Board Certification
You want a physician who is well-trained and competent. Board certification lets you know that your doctor has completed a minimal requirement of education and training. More than 95% of Optimus Healthcare Partners Physicians are board certified.

The Health Team
Often, physician's offices will have physician extenders such as nurses and physician assistants who are part of the team that cares for you. Such teams can be better for your care if they have more time to spend with you.

What to look for in an up-to-date Medical Office?
Remembering that quality is measured by you, the characteristics in a medical office you should look for are from your view:

Respectful

	Treat you as they would treat themselves
	Accept that your time is as valuable as theirs
	Provide privacy and confidentiality

Accessible

	Office access is easy
	Telephone calls are answered promptly

Timely

	Appointments are available when you need them
	Information such as lab test results come to you quickly

Organized

	The office supports an electronic patient registry or an electronic medical record
	The office is always ready for you with information available as needed

Safe

	Prescriptions are printed, emailed or faxed
	Office personnel are trained in their tasks

Your visit to a Specialist

For your visit to a specialist do you have a referral from your PCP? Do you have the necessary information regarding any preliminary diagnostic tests to share with him or her? Will your insurance cover the cost of your visit and any tests that may be ordered by the specialist? What does your primary physician suggest? Is the suggested specialist a member of Optimus Healthcare Partners?

		If so, flow of your information may be smoother.
		Is it possible that specialists better for me work elsewhere?
		Have my PCP and the specialist successfully shared care before?
		Will the specialist provide all of my care for this problem?
		Use of "point of care" analytics and clinical support tools...
		What are the specialist's credentials?
		Is the specialist board certified?
		Maintenance of up to date problem lists for each patient.
		Is the specialist subspecialty certified if appropriate?