Authors

  1. Emerson, Janice S. PhD
  2. Hull, Pamela C. PhD
  3. Cain, Van A. MA
  4. Novotny, Meggan L. MA
  5. Larson, Celia O. PhD
  6. Levine, Robert S. MD

Abstract

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is being promoted as a cornerstone for transforming primary care. Physician organizations (POs) are playing a more prominent role by facilitating practices' transformation to PCMH. Using a framework of organizational integration, we investigate the changing relationship between POs and practices through qualitative interviews. Through increased integration, POs can support both the big-picture and day-to-day activities of practice transformation. Most PO-practice unit connections reflected new areas of engagement-competencies that POs were not developing in the past-that are proving integral to the broad-scale practice change of PCMH implementation.