title: Helping primary care practices attain patient-centered medical home (PCMH) recognition through collaboration with a university.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transforming a primary care practice into a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a resource-dependent endeavor. The objective of our study was to evaluate a facilitation model used to support rural primary care practices during a redesign of their processes to achieve recognition as National Center for Quality Assurance PCMHs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The model was a collaboration between Community Care of North Carolina and a local university where undergraduate students worked directly with practices under the guidance of a Community Care of North Carolina PCMH Team.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The facilitation model resulted in positive outcomes for both primary care practices and students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partnerships between care networks, agencies, payers, or practices and universities or colleges can yield mutual benefits and should be explored.
authors.affiliation: the College of Health Sciences, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC; and Community Care of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: Sandi J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: R W Chip
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Watkins
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009657:North Carolina; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities
keywords: Health Care Team; Medical Home; Patient-Centered Care; Primary Health Care; Rural Population