
Dr. Kavita Patel, the new director of the New America Foundation Health Policy Program, discusses the key components of medical homes at a recent Health Affairs event. In an analysis published in Health Affairs' primary care edition, Dr. Patel and colleagues found that effective medical home models have a few common features: dedicated care coordinators, expanded access to care givers, data-driven analytical tools, and incentives for providers. The passage of federal health reform creates opportunities to test medical homes and expand on successful programs, encouraging high-quality, cost-efficient practices across our health care system.