Integration of a Patient-Centered Medical Home into Ambulatory Health Care Services Centers in Abu Dhabi

Abstract

This study describes the transformation of Abu Dhabi Ambulatory Healthcare Services into patient-centered medical homes (PCMH) in 3 pilot sites by applying the National Commission for Quality Assurance (NCQA) PCMH standards. The intervention was system redesign, population management, team building, and optimizing electronic medical records toward patient-centered care. The pilot centers outperformed non-pilot centers in clinical key performance indicators. Based on the NCQA 2011 PCMH criteria, the pilot achieved 84% compared with 42% at the start of the project. In conclusion this study shed light on a firm path to operationalizing PCMH to enhance the quality and access to care.