What Primary Care Innovation Teaches Us About Oral Health Integration

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Public Health Policy
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened health inequities, highlighting the need for integrated care.
• The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model has been a focus for improving primary care delivery.
• Achieving population health goals requires addressing disparities in both primary and oral healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide lessons from the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) movement for integrating primary and oral health care.
• To inform strategies for enhancing infrastructure, innovation, and payment reforms for integrated care.
• To support improved access and equity in healthcare delivery.

Main Methods:

• Review of lessons learned from the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) movement.
• Analysis of stakeholder consensus-building strategies within the PCMH framework.
• Synthesis of findings to inform primary and oral health care integration.

Main Results:

• The PCMH movement offers valuable insights into achieving consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Key lessons include strategies for infrastructure investment, care innovation, and payment reform.
• These lessons are applicable to overcoming barriers in primary and oral health care integration.

Conclusions:

• Integrating primary and oral health care is essential for population health and health equity.
• The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model provides a framework and actionable lessons for successful integration.
• Implementing these lessons can drive necessary reforms to improve healthcare access and reduce disparities.