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. The Pinellas County Health Plan (PCHP) moves clients from a “sick care” model toward a “disease management” model through the use of medical homes. Medical homes represent a model of care where each patient 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 patient’s health care needs and, when needed, arranges for appropriate care with other qualified physicians or providers. A medical home also emphasizes enhanced care through open scheduling, expanded service hours and improved communication between patients, providers and staff. In this Health Plan, 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.
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