WQPHN health care home evaluation report

[Excerpt:] Health care homes (HCHs) have been trialled internationally to improve the quality and safety of patient care. Patient-centred medical homes, medical homes, primary care homes and other similar terms may refer to innovations very similar to HCHs. The idea behind the HCH model is that patients/carer will be engaged in shared decision-making and supported to stay healthy and to better self-manage their conditions. In Australia, the Commonwealth Government has also launched a trial of HCHs with a focus on patients with chronic and complex conditions. In the HCH model patients are invited to enrol with a nominated clinician at their general practice, who coordinates all their chronic condition management, face-to-face or virtual, within and outside the practice and works with the patients (or their carer) to tailor the services to the patient’s needs, preference and context. The Western Queensland Health Care Home (WQHCH) is focused on strengthening and transforming general practice in the context of western Queensland, mainly centring the services on the needs of individuals and their families to offer a placed based holistic care, where individuals, families and carers are informed and active partners in their care journey. Like the national trial, the Western Queensland Primary Health Network (WQPHN) HCH trial has the quadruple aims of: 1. Maximising population health outcomes 2. Enhancing patient experience 3. Optimising health provider experience 4. Improved efficiency and sustainability Herein, the anticipated outcomes of the WQHCH model of care include (i) improved access, responsiveness and support for patients; (ii) increased capacity in general practice teams; (iii) increased practice productivity and business sustainability; (iv) expanded core teams working across sectors as an interdisciplinary team; (v) customised support for patients with greatest social, clinical or physical needs; (vi) proactive management of whole-of-population health risk factors; (vii) reduce demand on hospital care; (viii) enabling patients with complex conditions to have more control over their care; (ix) care integrated around patient needs, and maximised use of technology; (x) lifestyle risk factor management; and (xi) developing a sustainable workforce