Sanitas Medical Group Earns National Recognition for Patient-Centered Care

By Tracy Simons | Silver Cross Medical Center

Sanitas Medical Group in New Lenox has received Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition from The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative relationships.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality.

The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, advance patients’ experience of care, and reduce costs.

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Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the healthcare system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care.

“As a medical home, we put our patient at the center by coordinating their health care across all settings including the hospital, medical offices, clinics and any other places that patients receive care.” said Dr. Jose Penaherrera, internal medicine physicians with Sanitas Medical Group. “We help patients to manage their medical needs by listening to their concerns, answering any questions they have about their health, working closely with other medical experts, and encouraging patients to play an active role in their own health care.”

“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that Sanitas Medical Group has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.”

To earn recognition, which is valid for three years, Sanitas Medical Group demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements, embodying characteristics of the medical home. NCQA standards aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.

To find clinicians and their practices with NCQA PCMH Recognition, visit http://recognition.ncqa.org.

ABOUT SANITAS MEDICAL GROUP

Sanitas Medical Group is the practice of internal medicine physicians Latha Arla-Polavarapu, D.O.; Jose Penaherrera, M.D; and Daniel Ramirez, M.D. along with licensed nurse practitioner Laura Scott. Their main office is located on the Silver Cross Hospital campus, Pavilion A, 1890 Silver Cross Blvd., New Lenox. Dr. Penaherrera also sees patients at theSilver Cross Professional Building, 1051 Essington Rd, Suite 230B, Joliet. New patients are welcome. Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Medicare and most insurance accepted. Complimentary valet parking and wheelchair assistance are available at Silver Cross Hospital. To schedule an appointment, call 815-727-4292. For more information, visit www.sanitasmedicalgroup.org.