Cummings Center Medical Associates in Beverly Designated Patient-Centered Medical Home

Beverly, Mass. — Cummings Center Medical Associates in Beverly, a community-based family practice group affiliated with Lahey Health, has been awarded Level III Recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) 2011 Program. The designation recognizes the Cummings Center’s use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care to support access, communication and patient involvement.

“Being acknowledged by NCQA as a patient-centered medical home is an honor,” said Dr. Daniel McCullough, lead physician at Cummings Center Medical Associates. “Our recognition is the result of our continued dedication to improving the way we deliver care to our patients and improving the health of the patients as well. While we are proud of our achievements to date, we will continue to push forward, calling for better care coordination, quality improvement and proactive care planning.”

A PCMH is a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between patients, their physicians, and when appropriate, their family to assure that patients receive care when and where they need and want it. NCQA’s PCMH 2011 program uses a set of standards to describe clear and specific criteria and gives practices information about organizing care around patients, working in teams and coordinating and tracking care over time.

“The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of 21st century primary

care that combines access, teamwork and technology to deliver quality care and

improve health,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “NCQA’s PCMH

2011 Recognition shows that Cummings Center Medical Associates has tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care at the right time.”

Cummings Center Medical Associates’ PCMH Project was made possible by a grant from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC). Clinicians and staff at the Cummings Center began working with HPHC and Northeast PHO in April 2012 to meet the NCQA PCMH 2011 standards. Practice-based quality improvement teams, including patient representatives, met twice a month to review performance data and discuss improvement methods. Clinical workflows were created for selected chronic conditions. Clinicians and staff received training in population management, patient self-management and motivational interviewing.

The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home 2011 program reflects input from the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and others in extension of the Physician Practice Connections Program.

Cummings Center Medical Associates is located at 107W Cummings Center, Beverly, Mass.

About Cummings Center Medical Associates

Located in Beverly, Massachusetts, Cummings Center Medical Associates is a full-spectrum Family Practice providing Pediatric Care, Women's Health, Adults and Geriatrics.  Dr McCullough practices alongside fellow Family Doctor Emily Chin, MD and Family Nurse Practitioners Alison Gustafson, FNP and Julie Connick, FNP.  They enjoy caring for many multi-generational families providing the highest quality medical care and coordination of services with the compassion and personal touch that a small office can provide: in short, they are happy to be a Medical Home.

About Lahey Health

Lahey Health provides a full continuum of integrated health services throughout eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, comprising nationally recognized, award-winning hospitals, including an academic hospital and medical center, and community hospitals—primary care providers, specialist physicians, behavioral health services, post-acute programs, such as home health services, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and senior care resources. Together, we are making innovative, integrated healthcare more personal and more accessible. For more information, visit LaheyHealth.org and its member websites Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Beverly Hospital, Lahey Health Senior Care and Lahey Health Behavioral Services.

About National Committee For Quality Assurance

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care

quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also

recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA is committed to

providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers