The Pinellas County Department of Health & Human Services has partnered with the Pinellas County Health Department and Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc. to provide prevention focused health care to eligible Pinellas County residents. Medical homes represent a model of care where each client has an ongoing relationship with a personal physician or primary care provider who leads a team that takes collective responsibility for patient care. The team is responsible for coordinating all the client's health care needs and, when needed, arranges for appropriate care with other qualified physicians or specialty providers. However, this approach also requires client participation and a willingness to work with the health care team to improve health status. A medical home also emphasizes personalized care through open scheduling, expanded service hours and improved communication between patients, providers and staff. As part of the Health Program, case managers are co-located in the medical homes and selected emergency rooms to help achieve the goals of care continuity, emergency room diversion, and improved health for the uninsured population.
(Updated 5/3/11)
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