Thoughts 

There are many provisions that are being done to the affordable care act. Most of which are trying to demonstrate reducing the cost, which is not proving to be enough. Another approach that is becoming largely focused on is the overall quality and coordination of the patients care. By focusing on the overall quality of care this includes everyone who is involved in the care of the patient. Medical/Health homes are homes that provide patients with a central primary care practice or provider. This allows providers to focus on preventative care and chronic care management. This will also help reduce dependence on specialist and emergency care.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act authorizes who how contracts directly with the state to establish community based interdisciplinary and extraprofessional teams in supporting the patients primary care. The interdisciplinary and extraprofessional teams may then decide if medical specialist, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, dieticians, social work, behavioral health and mental health providers etc. are necessary for care (GCU, 2018).

I believe that this can be beneficial to patients and health care in the fact that it reduces that amount of emergent and acute care issues. If a patient is coming in to one provider for preventative care check with hope to detect symptoms early and treat with a primary doctor avoiding the need to see a specialist reducing cost to the patient and the health care provider (O’Dell, 2016). The Patient Protection and affordable Care Act determines who is eligible for an interdisciplinary team so not everyone will be at the mercy of the team also reducing the cost. The quality of care should remain at the same level the Medical/Health Homes just won’t be utilizing as many providers if the patient does not require them. Not to mention patient will have access to Medical/Health 24/7 “Interviewees reported that 24/7 access to a care provider is also an essential element of the medical home equation…even if only through telephonic or electronic means, helps reduce reliance on emergency rooms and resultant preventable hospitalizations” (ANA, 2010).