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What is a
Medical Home?
A medical home is not a
building. A medical home is a family-centered approach to comprehensive care with a
partnership between a child, the child’s family and the child’s primary health
care setting. A family works with their primary health care team
to get needed medical and non-medical services for their child.
Receiving care through a
medical home can improve a child’s health and make life easier for the child’s
family. A medical home care team can include:
- Doctors and nurses;
- Therapists;
- Dentists;
- Pharmacists;
- Community health workers;
- School staff;
- Friends;
- Neighbors; and
- Anyone who cares for your child.
Components
of a Medical Home:
- Accessible
– services are within the child’s and family’s community. Someone can help the child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Family-Centered
Care – providers recognize the family as the expert in the child’s care. Family members are
valued members of the care team and contribute to decision making.
- Continuous
Care – the child sees the same pediatric health care
team over time. The team supports the child during the transition to adulthood.
- Comprehensive
Care – the child’s care includes:
- Check-ups;
- Preventative care;
- Primary
care; and
- Specialty care.
The child and family are connected to support and
education opportunities.
- Coordinated
Care – the child’s care team works with other providers and the family
to:
- Develop a care plan;
- Book appointments;
- Handle referrals; and
- Provide
access to resources in the community.
- Compassionate
Care – the medical home care team is genuinely concerned about the overall
wellbeing of the child and family
- Culturally
Competent Care – services are delivered in the child’s and family’s
preferred language. The care team respects the family’s cultural and
religious beliefs.
Medical
Home Brochures:
The Maternal & Child Health Section has family and provider brochures to
help explain the importance of the medical home
model. To order brochures, please use our online order form.
Additional
Medical Home Resources:
- The Mountain State Regional
Genetics Network helps families connect to genetic services and
resources. The network also helps providers understand available services
so they can make referrals.
- The Texas Parent to Parent Medical Home
Toolkit explains what a medical home is and how to get one.
- Navigate Life Texas
includes tips for families on how to work with your child’s doctor to
create a medical home
- Texas Primary Care Consortium is a nonprofit, practitioner-led organization. The Consortium's mission is
to promote the Patient-Centered Medical Home Model of care in Texas.
- AMCHP National
Standards for Systems of Care for CYSHCN
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs has an interactive website for the National Standards for Systems of Care for
Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Version 2.0. This tool
strives to serve the nation’s 14.2 million children and youth with special
health care needs. Version 2.0 sets the core components
for the structure and process of effective systems of care. The tool also streamlines
content for easier use by states and stakeholders. Visit the website here.
Medical Home Learning Collaborative
The Medical Home Learning Collaborative (MHLC) meets quarterly
via webinar for members to share knowledge, implementation strategies, and best
practices on the philosophy and effectiveness of medical homes. All are welcome
to participate including:
- Providers;
- Youth and young
adults;
- Parents;
- Caregivers;
- Representatives from
health care plans;
- Hospital and
university systems; and
- Local
community organizations.
Membership is open to the
public. Please email CSHCNSDG@dshs.texas.gov to join or learn more
about the learning collaborative.
Register on Go To Webinar's website for our next meeting.
Mission
To enhance the development and promote the principles of the
Patient-Centered Medical Home model within the state of Texas for all children
and youth including those with special health care needs.
Vision
All children and youth in Texas, including children with special
health care needs, will have a medical home that provides accessible,
family-centered, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate, and
culturally sensitive services.
History and Strategic Plan
The Medical Home Work Group (MHWG) was formed in 2003 after
participants of an American Academy of Pediatrics conference spearheaded
efforts to encourage Texas providers to establish medical homes. The MHWG was
formed to share information, facilitate progress, and coordinate efforts to
promote person-centered medical homes. The group furthered DSHS’ efforts to
advance medical homes for children and youth with special health care needs in
Texas.
Download the Strategic Plan (PDF)
The Texas Department of State Health Services does not endorse external links. These links are informational and may not be accessible to persons with disabilities. Please email titlev@dshs.texas.gov for more information
about Children
with Special Health Care Needs, Title V Maternal and
Child Health, or maternal and child health in Texas,
or call 512-776-7373.