“I’m Doing Better”: A Patient-Centered Medical Home Success Story
Julie Bitely
| 2 min read
Roquel Morrison had repeatedly told her doctor she didn’t want to take insulin to treat her type 2 diabetes. With a little more digging, Cherie Bostwick, care manager at Munson Family Practice Center in Traverse City, discovered it wasn’t the insulin itself Morrison didn’t like the idea of, but rather the needles she would need to use to inject herself with it. “Oh yeah, I don’t like needles at all. They taught me how to use the pens and the needles and now, I’m on insulin and I’m doing better,” Morrison said. This is just one of many success stories from Blue Cross-designated patient-centered medical homes (PCMH). With approximately 4,630 physicians in 1,700 practices across Michigan, PCMH practices meet patient needs by providing whole-person, patient-focused care, resulting in higher quality care, with better outcomes and lower cost. “We’re very proud to be a patient-centered medical home,” said Mistie Atkins, office manager at Munson Family Practice Center, which serves more than 10,000 patients and employs 50 staff members. “It keeps the patient at the center of everything that we do here.” More frequent follow-up with patients helps them understand their treatment and ensures things don’t get missed, explained Dr. Kelly Clark, who sees patients at the center. “It really emphasizes a lot of things good physicians do naturally,” Clark said. For Bostwick, working in the role of care manager helps her get to know patients like Morrison on a personal level. They’ve visited the local farmers market together and have discussed healthy recipes and strategies to keep Morrison’s diabetes under control. Helping Morrison overcome her fear of needles was a big step in moving her treatment forward and improving her health. “That’s why I come to work every day, that’s why I love my job … knowing that I can make a positive impact,” Bostwick said.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is marking 10 years of health care transformation through the patient-centered medical home designation program. Want to learn more about patient-centered medical homes? Start here:
