PCPCC Consumer Guide

Consumer engagement and collaboration in care are vital components for PCMH success. A Collaborative Partnership: Resources to help consumers thrive in the medical home presents resources for consumer engagement developed by the PCPCC and partner organizations, as well as industry resources and the latest data on how PCMH demonstration programs are working to connect with consumers.

Since its inception, the PCPCC has recognized the importance of engaging consumer and patient groups to help design and inform the needed patient focus of PCMH. By design, this consumer focus is apparent across the work of the PCPCC. Each of the Centers is charged to develop goals and objectives that incorporate consumer involvement and engagement.

Demonstrating this commitment to the consumer, the PCPCC unveiled a set of consumer tools in April 2009, several developed by the Consumer Task Force of the PCPCC in partnership with consumer-focused organizations. The tools are described in Chapter 6 and are designed to equip a variety of stakeholders in their efforts to broaden consumer engagement in and understanding of the PCMH.

Some members of the PCPCC’s advisory board represent consumer advocacy organizations who regularly offer input from this perspective. On July 27, 2009, the PCPCC held a full-day session to hear more directly from additional representative organizations and recognized individual consumer leaders about how to further engage patients and consumers in the continued evolution of the PCMH.

As a result of the recommendations from this meeting and the continued efforts of each of the PCPCC’s collaborative Centers to focus on consumer engagement, we have created this Guide. The purpose of the Guide is to support all stakeholder efforts in advancing consumer and patient participation. It is designed to help different stakeholders easily find currently available resources and recognize the evolving nature of these resources.

The Guide includes four core elements:
1. PCPCC activities and initiatives supporting consumer engagement;
2. Research and examples surrounding consumer engagement in PCMH demonstrations;
3. Tools for consumers and other stakeholders to assist with PCMH education, engagement and partnerships; and
4. A catalogue of resources that provides descriptions of and the means to obtain potential resources for consumers, providers and purchasers seeking to better engage consumers.

The PCPCC Consumer Task Force will also undertake a new initiative focused on improved consumer communication to begin to address the varied and distinct communication needs inherent in the diversity of our nation’s consumer population.