The AAFP encourages health professionals to work together as multidisciplinary, integrated teams in the best interest of patients. Patients are best served when their care is provided by an integrated practice care team led by a physician.
The medical home represents an example of an integrated practice arrangement in which a licensed physician (MD/DO) works with other health care personnel to manage the care of an individual patient and a population of patients using a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to health care. The arrangement should support an interdependent, team-based approach to comprehensive care delivery. It should address patient needs for high-value, accessible health care and be supported by enhanced communication and processes that empower non-physician staff to effectively utilize the skills, training and abilities of each team member to the full extent of their professional capacity.
The central goal of team-based care is to provide the most effective, efficient, and accessible evidence-based care to the patient. Patient-oriented outcome measures and patient experience should be central in assessing the quality of care delivered by the team. (1996 COD) (2017 COD)