Health Plan, doctors, and staff team up to create "medical homes"

When you have a medical problem or need a check-up, what do you hope for from your doctor’s office? A timely appointment? A doctor who will take the time to listen? Excellent care? Support in managing your health problem?

Wishwa Kapoor, MD, and his team of medical professionals at the General Internal Medicine (GIM) practice at UPMC Montefiore are committed to providing all this and more. Dr. Kapoor and his staff participate in “Partners in Excellence” — a collaboration with UPMC Health Plan that adds exceptional value to the primary care experience by putting the patient at the center of a team effort to support the doctor-patient relationship and improve care and health outcomes.

In the photo above:
Wishwa Kapoor, MD, Chief of Medicine at the Division of General Internal Medicine at UPMC, and Don McCormick, UPMC Health Plan Member

“Our goal is to provide the best quality of care,” says Dr. Kapoor. “To me, that means providing easy access in a timely fashion, offering excellent medical care, and addressing the concerns and questions of each patient. It also means empowering patients through self-management and education to deal with health problems. This is the way we can be more effective.”

These goals represent the foundation of the patient-centered medical home, a concept that seeks to integrate all aspects of the health care system at the level of the primary care practice, with the patient and the patient’s family at the center. The GIM practice achieved the highest level (level 3) recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a patient-centered medical home. GIM is one of only 97 practices in the U.S. recognized at this level.

Don McCormick has been Dr. Kapoor’s patient for 20-some years. “Dr. Kapoor is the greatest,” exclaims Don. “He’s always kind, always takes his time with me. Any experience my wife, Dorothy, and I have had with the practice has been positive. When I had a health problem, the staff took time and care to explain everything to me and answer my questions.”

In addition to being Chief of Medicine at GIM, Dr. Kapoor is also Falk Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, and Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

“UPMC Health Plan has been an important partner for us,” continues Dr. Kapoor. “They provide us with resources and technology to manage patients and help patients manage themselves. The Health Plan’s care managers and health coaches support us in caring for patients with complex conditions and multiple needs.”

Lisa Lilley is a UPMC Health Plan practice-based care manager who works on-site with patients and medical staff at GIM. “The Partners in Excellence program enables us to see the patient as a ‘whole being,’” says Lisa. “Working as a team, we have more impact. I definitely see an increase in patient engagement with us and with their own care.” Lisa is backed by a team of clinicians and care support professionals at the Health Plan. “They built the infrastructure and offer day-to-day support,” she says. “They make what I do possible.”