By MARK O’BRIEN
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Ellis Hospital cut the ribbon Thursday on what it hopes will be an innovative model for healthcare in New York State.
Called a “medical home,” it’s a central location for a patient’s every need, from dentistry to surgery, counseling, and primary care.
Judith Walsh-Flores, who’s diabetic, is one of the first patients, and she instantly noticed a difference.
“This is more of a family situation,” she says. “They know you by face, and it’s not just another number or patient.”
Her husband says the new service has been a tremendous relief after years of hardship getting appropriate care.
“This service has facilitated us being able to see a doctor within a week,” Nicolas Walsh says.
Studies show that similar medical home models across the country have cut insurance costs by a third, as well as improved mortality and hospitalization rates by a fifth. Organizers say that’s partially because medical homes go beyond the scope of traditional hospitals because the care is coordinated among various doctors using electronic files.
“Hospitals are notoriously fractionated, where the surgeons may not talk to the medical guys,” says primary care physician Dr. Chris Murphy. “And when you leave the hospital, does your regular primary care doctor know about it?”
The focus on the medical home is not only improving the quality of care, but also improving the access to it, namely for the underserved. That’s why Ellis has worked with the Schenectady City Mission and the Salvation Army to provide free transportation for those who don’t have it. Planners say it’s all about what works best for the patient, not the doctor.
“The medical home is kind of opening up this medical universe that says we’re not only going to help you with this urgent problem, but that we’re going to put you on a path so that it’s not as urgent and that you can actually get well,” says Mike Saccocio of the City Mission.
For the Flores family, they’re now more optimistic about their future thanks to a new approach to healthcare right here at home.
“When it’s somebody that you know, it seems like they care a little bit more,” Walsh-Flores says.
