Harvard Vanguard Associates in Medford Wins National Recognition

The following is a press release submitted by Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates:

The National Committee for Quality Assurance announced that Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Medford received recognition from the Physician Practice Connections Patient-Centered Medical Home program.

Harvard Vanguard is one of only a few practices in Massachusetts to receive this prestigious national distinction. In addition, Harvard Vanguard’s Medford practice ranked among the top recognized primary care practices by scoring a Level 3, the highest recognition status obtainable.

The program is a model of healthcare delivery that encourages improved quality and greater involvement of patients in their own care. It is based upon standards that assess whether a physician practice functions as a “patient-centered medical home.”

A patient-centered medical home is a setting where each patient has an ongoing relationship with a personal physician who leads a team and an organization that takes collective responsibility for patient care. With the medical home model, patients are active participants in their care and the primary care physician serves as the "home", or the office where patients go for the majority of their medical needs.

The medical home model focuses on a team approach. Primary care physicians, specialists and the patient all communicate and work towards the same health care goal, through patient counseling, discussion of lifestyle changes, and the management of chronic conditions.  

Quality care is facilitated by information technology, exchange of health information, and other means to assure that patients get the care when and where they need it, in a manner and language they understand.

The committee that gave the award is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality.  To receive the recognition, Harvard Vanguard in Medford met required standards in the following areas: use of electronic medical record, use of patient tracking registries, educational resources for English and/or a second language, practice-wide measurement of quality, a process to implement improvements, structured care plans for individuals with chronic illness, and screening, referral, and follow up for high risk patients.

The Medford practice of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates is located at 26 City Hall Mall.