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TransforMED in the News

October 08, 2008 - NewsGuide.us
» TransforMED Collaborates with Cielo MedSolutions for Medical Homes
" Cielo MedSolutions, a software and web applications provider for the healthcare industry has signed a Preferred Business Affiliate agreement with TransforMED LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), to market each other’s products. Cielo MedSolutions customers will have access to TransforMED’s practice transformation services, and TransforMED will promote Cielo MedSolutions’ Cielo Clinic™ to medical practices implementing a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH)...."

August 20, 2008 - Businesswire
» TransforMED and Phytel Partner to Enhance Care Coordination for Primary Care Practices
"Phytel, the leader in automated patient care management, today announced an agreement with TransforMED LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), to make its Proactive Patient Outreach solution available to participating physicians. Through this relationship, Phytel is a preferred business partner that provides patient outreach integrated with a patient registry to help TransforMED clients proactively manage preventive health and disease management protocols..."

August 15, 2008 - Medical Economics
» Medical home model improves efficiency, docs say
"Half of the selected practices were assigned expert facilitators from AAFP to implement the TransforMED changes, while the other half were self-directed – a split that drew contrasting reactions from the physician leaders. 'I don't think you can do it on your own,' admits Stephen Veit, a solo practice FP in Cherokee, Iowa, who had a facilitator. 'You need outside help. It's like trying to get over depression on your own. It might happen, but it's probably not the best way to do it.' ..."

July 13, 2008 - USA Today
» Old-fashioned docs inspire new 'medical homes'
"States, the federal government and private insurers are experimenting with an idea to cut costs and make patients happier: Paying primary-care doctors extra money to oversee and coordinate patients' care. The pay boost rewards doctors who reshape their practices to recreate an era when a trusted family physician helped patients through hospitalizations, coordinated specialist care and provided routine screenings. Such efforts may save money by reducing hospitalizations, ER visits and disease."

July 11, 2008 - Philadelphia Business Journal
» Family doctor is still prescribing change
"Dr. Joseph F. Mambu isn't done trying to transform the practice of primary-care medicine. The Montgomery County family practitioner and geriatrician just completed his two-year involvement in a national demonstration project that sought to reshape how family medicine is delivered."

July 8, 2008 - Clarion Ledger - Mississippi
» System facilitates visits to physicians
"When Loy Assell or members of her family want to see their doctor, they can get in within hours. If they need to cancel an appointment at the last minute, they can easily reschedule. The physician, Dr. Cynthia Kizer of Olio Road Family Care, and her colleagues keep about half their daily appointments open for last-minute patients, a system known as advanced open access. Though it may seem unorthodox, it is one of the models for a national experiment to transform and improve family practice for both patients and practitioners."

July 1, 2008 - American Way Magazine
» DIAGNOSIS: Doctor's Office Rebellion PRESCRIPTION: Put the patient first.
"What does this mean for you? Same-day appointments, no more sitting for hours in crowded waiting rooms, and -- gasp -- weekend availability from a doctor!"

July 1, 2008 - Family Practice News
» TransforMED's Lessons Hit Home
"After 2 years of consultations with practice management experts as part of the American Academy of Family Physicians TransforMED National Demonstration Project, Dr. Don Klitgaard says that he is well on his way to creating a true medical home within his practice. Registered nurses are no longer acting as schedulers, the practice successfully implemented an electronic health record, they have moved to an open-access scheduling policy, and they have health coaches to assist diabetic patients with chronic disease management... Two years later, Dr. Klitgaard said he and the rest of the physicians and staff in his practice are enjoying their jobs more and patients are more satisfied."

July/August 2008 - Annals of Family Medicine
» TransforMED's National Demonstration Project Concludes
" After nearly 2 years, TransforMED, a limited liability company wholly owned by the AAFP, marked the end of its national demonstration project (NDP) at an April meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. More than 70 family physicians and other health care professionals involved in the project attended."

June 6, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» Medical Home Pilot Project - N.Y. Initiative Couples Payment and Practice Reform
"A medical home pilot project under way in New York state is the first such pilot in the country to link primary care practice reform with fundamental changes in physician payment methodology. Data gathered from the project could "ultimately -- hopefully -- save primary care," according to Brian Morrissey, VP of strategy and development for the Capital District Physicans' Health Plan Inc., or CDPHP."

June 2, 2008 - AMNews - Government & Medicine
» Higher Medicare pay earmarked for practices in medical home trial
If Medicare's upcoming medical home demonstration project heeds the advice of a respected AMA-convened panel, primary care physicians participating in the project could receive a variety of additional payments, including a monthly per-beneficiary fee. The increased compensation could total as much as $100,000 per year— depending on the degree to which participating practices have adopted the Medical Home concept.

May 2008 - AAMC Reporter
» A Community Approach to Resident Training and Patient Care
Preparing the Personal Physician for Practice (P4) residency innovators Hendersonville Family Practice Residency Program in Hendersonville, N.C. and the Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network's Family Medicine Program in Allentown, Pa. are featured in this article about community context and team-based care changes to curricula.

May 28, 2008 - Family Practice Management
» 'Just-in-Time' Business Education for Family Physicians
Dr Dennis F. Saver, MD, a member of the AAFP Commission on Practice Enhancement and vice president of the FAFP Foundation asks: "What if our specialty, led by the AAFP, offered a business- management curriculum designed not for the resident but for the new physician?" The AAFP requires member/subscriber log-in to read this article.

May 27, 2008 - Prematics™ corporate Web site - Press Release
» Prematics™ CEO Joins Initiative To Advance More Coordinated, Connected Health Care
"Prematics president and chief executive officer, Kevin Hutchinson, has been named an inaugural member of the Board of Managers for TransforMED LLC..."

May 27, 2008 - AAFP - Press Release
» American Academy of Family Physicians Launches New Business Entity To Accelerate Adoption of Patient-Centered Medical Home Model of Care
"The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has announced, effective June 1, its $8 million practice redesign initiative, TransforMED, will become a limited liability corporation (LLC) wholly owned by the AAFP. TransforMED LLC is expected to offer support and consultation services to primary care physicians and health systems that want to transform their medical practices into patient-centered medical homes."

May 19, 2008 - The Boston Globe
» A more welcoming model for care
"What distinguishes a medical home from a conventional practice is a comprehensive approach to care from prevention through hospitalization that provides as many services as possible in one location and coordinates all other care, using both a personal touch and electronic medical records. In addition, the medical home provides easy access to medical staff through same-day office appointments, weekend and evening hours, e-mail, and phone."

May 16, 2008 - Annals of Family Medicine
» Journey to the Future of Family Medicine
"Five articles in last issue addressed the challenges faced by practice transformation. In response, Annals’ readers have been busy reading, reflecting, and commenting on the many challenges we face in this journey."

May 16, 2008 - The Business Review (Albany)
» CDPHP's $1M pilot program tests patient-care system for cost savings
Albany insurer Capital District Physicians' Health Plan has chosen TransforMED for $1M pilot project to transform primary practices to patient-centered medical homes. The pilot will combine the TransforMED Medical Home Model with a new compensation model that pays practices for all they do— including phone calls and paperwork.

May 08, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» TransforMED Offers Free Medical Home Assessment Tool
Medical practices working on becoming medical homes now can measure their progress, thanks to a free and comprehensive assessment tool recently made available by TransforMED.

April 15, 2008 - Family Practice News
» Wanted: Medical Home Funding
NDP participating practice Romeo Medical Clinic's use of ancillary services, such as corporate wellness programs, to subsidize the practice's medical home are highlighted in this article.

April 14, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» National Demonstration Project Concludes
TransforMED Practices Reflect on Successes, Challenges
A recap of the April 11-13, 2008 TransforMED National Demonstration Project (NDP) Learning Collaborative featuring the experiences of three NDP participating practices.

April 2008 - STFM Family Medicine Journal
» Assembling Patient-centered Medical Homes in Teaching Practices— One Strategy
The President of STFM identifies the TransforMED model and use of the TransforMED MHIQ online self-assessment as a useful strategy for transforming and improving residency program and clerkship teaching practices.

March 15, 2008 - American Family Physician
» The TransforMED Project
Editorial by Dr. Terry McGeeney, TranforMED CEO. "Many discussions in national health care politics are focused on payment changes so that primary care can be financially recognized for its value. That discussion is important, but the perceived value of family medicine may not change until family medicine changes itself..."

March 14, 2008 - The Kiplinger Letter - kiplinger.com
» Quiet Revolution Under Way at Some Family Medical Practices
"Spurred by competition from miniclinics, many physicians are redesigning their offices for "patient centered" care." Dr. Terry McGeeney tips off Kiplinger's to seven practice transformations that are rapidly reshaping family medicine and primary care.

March/April 2008 - Annals of Family Medicine
» Changing Horses Midstream: The Promise and Prudence of Practice Redesign
" An emerging vision for primary care calls for the adoption of information technology and a strong business model to save a dying health care system. The authors are participants in the National Demonstration Project (NDP), a study sponsored by leading organizations in family medicine and directed by a for-profit subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians, TransforMED. The NDP embraces the Future of Family Medicine Report and seeks to test the ability of existing practices to implement its basic tenets. The NDP will conclude in June 2008, but its findings and observations will likely ripple out for years. Our report is a personal reflection that looks beyond the question of whether busy practices and practitioners can change horses midstream. We ask, 'Is this primary care, and is this what it needs?'" Also see e-letters responding to this article.

March/April 2008 - Annals of Family Medicine
» Assembling Patient-centered Medical Homes - The Clerkship Initiative
"The field of family medicine has active national projects for premedical student recruitment (FutureFamilyDocs.org), residency education (P4 Project), and practice transformation (TransforMED). The purpose of these projects is to recruit and train family physicians who can provide care in patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices. The missing link in this pipeline is a national project focused on the clinical experience of third-year family medicine clerkship students, which is a pivotal time for specialty selection. STFM is responding to this gap with a 2-year observational study of the development of medical home clinical experiences for family medicine clerkship students..." A Family Medicine Update from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

February 7, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» NCQA Fires Up National Recognition Program
"...TransforMED CEO Terry McGeeney, M.D., said NCQA's three-level program was constructed to make the task of qualifying for recognition easier for physicians. "If practices had to do everything all at once to get to level three, they might find that daunting and not even try." McGeeney stressed that NCQA and TransforMED fulfill different roles in the process. "The role of NCQA is to recognize practices that have met certain criteria. The role of TransforMED is to help practices get there..."

January 16, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN) - Requires AAFP membership
» From the President - Help Move U.S. Health System to Primary Care Base
"If you're like many Americans, you've been glued to your TV set for many an evening this month, watching presidential candidates challenge one another on issues, including our top pick: health system reform..."

January 16, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» Measure Your Practice's Medical Home Fitness Level
"Twelve pertinent questions form the centerpiece of a free, online assessment tool from TransforMED, a practice redesign initiative affiliated with the AAFP...The new tool -- TMED Medical Home Vitals -- was designed to help physicians "take the pulse" of their practices and self-determine how their practices score in comparison with key features of the medical home model..."

January 9, 2008 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» Commentary Urges Employers to Rally Around Primary Care
"IBM has engaged primary care providers in Texas and Pennsylvania in an effort to transform their practices and the payment structure to deliver improved access, counseling/coaching, preventive care, care coordination and chronic disease management within primary care medical homes. "The American Academy of Family Physicians' TransforMED initiative and the American College of Physicians' Center for Practice Improvement are leading the practice transformation, change management and evaluation components of the initiative," the commentary says..."

January 1, 2008 - Family Practice News
» TransforMED's Growing Pains Deemed Worth It
"More than midway through the family medicine TransforMED National Demonstration Project, organizers have learned to focus on relationships, systems, and technology in converting offices into places where teams deliver efficient, patient-centered, prevention-focused care. That was the message from Elizabeth Stewart, Ph.D., an analyst for the American Academy of Family Physicians, as she described some of the hurdles and successes experienced by 36 practices selected to test new models of care in the real world..."

January/February 2008 - Annals of Family Medicine
» Update on the P⁴ Project from the American Board of Family Medicine
"Five months into the first year of implementation, the P⁴ (Preparing the Personal Physician for Practice) residencies have their hands full. Most have completed IRB processes, and a significant minority of programs have completed the "baseline" data collection about the residencies and their residents. The residencies certainly have not lacked for ambition, and implementation is presenting virtually every program with a set of challenges..."

December 4, 2007 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» 2007: The Year in Review
"Advocacy once again was at the forefront of the Academy's activities during 2007. The AAFP took on the federal government, private insurers and regulators to ensure that family physicians' issues were heard and taken into account when decisions were made..."

December 3, 2007 - Texas Family Physician
» TransforMED: Renovating the specialty
"When AAFP published the Future of Family Medicine report three years ago, family physicians faced a tough ultimatum: change your ways or the specialty will perish within the next decade. This message wasn’t meant as a slight on family physicians and how they run their practices, but more a realization that family medicine and the U.S. health care system as a whole must change to meet the evolving needs of patients..."

November 28, 2007 - The Arizona Republic
» Airpark medical practice earns business award
TransforMED National Demonstration Project practice LifeScape Medical Associates P.C. has been recognized by the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce with its Sterling Award in the small business category. "The annual award honors a small company that demonstrates innovation, quality, professionalism and commitment to the community."

November 28, 2007 - The Indiianapolis Star (indystar.com)
» Delivering a new kind of care - Fishers family practice is among handful nationally trying out a new model to better assist patients
Two family practices in Indiana recently closed their doors. Not so at TransforMED National Demonstration Project family practice Olio Road Family Care in Fishers, Indiana where both patients and doctors are happier and more satisfied since the advent of TransforMED Medical Home Model improvements.

October 8, 2007 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» TransforMED: Building a Gateway to Care - Early Learnings From Medical Home Demo Project
Terry McGeeney, M.D., M.B.A shared early findings from the national demonstration project at the October 4th AAFP Scientific Assembly session entitled "Transforming Your Practice to a Patient-centered Medical Home." Initial data from the project indicate that change can produce positive results for patients, practices and communities.

September 24, 2007 - American Medical News (AMNews)
» New Orleans grows into testing ground for medical home
More than 20 clinics in greater New Orleans are reshaping primary care by introducing a medical home concept in neighborhood clinics that serve as havens for the needy. If the initiative succeeds in New Orleans, the model may be adopted more readily in other cities across the nation.

September 14, 2007 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» AAFP President Explains Importance of Title VII in Improving Patient Care
Section 747 of Title VII in the Public Health Service Act provides the only federal grants for training family physicians and should be used to teach students, residents and faculty about practice improvements and innovations in primary care and the patient-centered medical home, said AAFP President, Rick Kellerman, MD. In this way, Title VII could have a profound effect on the nation's health care system, transforming the system of care from an acute-care model to a preventive and patient-centered model.

September 2007 - PRIMED Patient Education Center
» The TransforMED National Demonstration Project
In part two of this 3-part series, TransforMED's three practice enhancement facilitators shed light on practical strategies that help empower practices to achieve more effective management and patient care systems.

August 2007 - PRIMED Patient Education Center
» TransforMED - Transforming Family Medicine Practice
In part one of this 3-part series TransforMED practice enhancement facilitator, Barbara Johnson, PhD, discusses the components of the TransforMED model, shares early insights and observations into what works in practice transformation and identifies lessons learned from the TransforMED National Demonstration Project.

July 27, 2007 - U.S. News and World Report
» The New Patient-Friendly Doctor's Office
TransforMED incorporates flexible scheduling, online consultations, electronic medical records, and other technological advances to give patients easy access to comprehensive medical care. The goal: to build strong relationships with patients and become their "medical home," a place they routinely turn to for preventive care and to manage chronic conditions.

July 25, 2007 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» Iowa Practice Takes 'Baby Steps' Toward Transformation
Don Klitgaard, M.D., a family physician in Harlan, Iowa, knew he wanted to take better care of his patients. Although his practice was doing a pretty good job in terms of patient care, he knew it could do better. That's when Klitgaard heard about a model of care that incorporates elements such as advance-access scheduling, point-of-care services, team care, office redesign and electronic health records, or EHRs. It sounded like something he could use.

July 17, 2007 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» P4 Initiative Produces 'Radical' Approaches to Residency Training
Fourteen family medicine residency programs are launching what have been dubbed "radical" approaches to training residents— restructuring their programs to focus on comprehensive, community-based care that builds relationships with nonphysician and subspecialist health professionals.

July 15, 2007 - Concord Monitor - Concord, NH
» Health care's future? Group treatment in Concord Meetings give more time for discussion
In a typical visit to a primary care doctor, a diabetic patient has about 15 minutes of face time with the doctor. Doctors at the Capital Region Family Health Center have found a different model for chronic disease treatment that they say will give patients more time with the doctor, more access to information and - they hope - better health.

July 9, 2007 - LA Times - Los Angeles, C.A.
» How to find a good doctor
It's easier now as physicians provide more info and become more patient friendly. A key question to ask: How is the practice run?
(The publisher no longer makes this article available online.)

June 11, 2007 - American Medical News (AMNews)
» Duke retooling, reopening family medicine training
In a phoenix-like rebirth, Duke Univerity's family medicine residency is rising from the ashes. Duke administration's enthusiastic support for P⁴ — Preparing the Personal Physician for Practice — was an important catalyst in the decision to reopen the program.

June 5, 2007 - Annals of Family Medicine
» Re: An outcomes-based transformation
Dr. Terry McGeeney, CEO of TransforMED, responds to a letter from George S. Schroeder, MD and Mary E. Arenberg, MD of Plymouth Family Physicians in Plymouth, Wisconsin that was published in the March 2007 edition of the Annals.

June 11, 2007 - The Journal - Martinsburg, W.V.
» Future doctoring
Dr. David Baltierra of Harpers Ferry Family Medicine says there is a new model for patient care that makes the patient center stage, not the physician. The patient is in the drivers seat, and is encouraged to take an active role in his or her health to create a personal patient-physician relationship. Baltierra is the Residency Program director of the West Virginia University Rural Family Medicine Residency Program, one of 14 programs around the country selected to participate in an initiative to change the way family physicians practice medicine.
(The publisher no longer makes this article available online.)

May 2007 - Healthcare IT News
» TransforMED building 'vibrant' Web sites
Healthcare information technology will likely play a prominent role in the future of family medicine, as the 36 practices participating in TransforMED's National Demonstration Project (NDP) are discovering.

May 2007 - Family Practice Management
» TransforMED Tries to Rebuild Family Medicine
The national demonstration project nears the halfway mark with many hard lessons already learned.

4/06/2007 - Health Data Management
» Project to Evaluate Web Portal Use
Three dozen physician practices helping to create a new model of care will use various levels of Web portal technology from Medfusion.

March 2007 - Physician's News Digest
» Implementing a medical home
A wholesale change in the way that primary care is organized, delivered and reimbursed is being promoted by three primary care specialty societies and tested in Pennsylvania and New Jersey family practices.

2/05/2007 - American Medical News (AMNews)
» Practices making strides to transform family medicine
Participating practices are 10 months into a two-year project to change family medicine to a new, patient-centered model of care.

January-February, 2007 - Annals of Family Medicine
» Focus on Practice Redesign, Quality Improvement
An overview of the AAFP's practice redesign initiatives, featuring TransforMED and the Practice Enhancement Program.

1/01/2007 - DOC News (American Diabetes Association)
» Chronic Care at Center of AAFP'S Clinical Focus
Through quality improvement initiatives such as TransforMED, Metric and the Practice Enhancement Forum, the AAFP is seeking to transform family practice by facilitating adoption of the New Model and the Chronic Care Model.

1/11/2007 - The Charlotte Observer [Registration required]
» The doctor will see you now -- online
You've had the sniffles for a few days. You are feeling bad, but you don't want to take the time off work to drive to your doctor's office and wait for an hour to see him for just 10 minutes.
(The publisher no longer makes this article available online.)

9/11/2006 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» Keep Tabs on TransforMED's Progress Via Its New Web Site

8/14/2006 - modernhealthcare.com
» AAFP pushing technology
New program could boost quality; cut down on waste
(The publisher no longer makes this article available online.)

6/4/2006 - New York Times [Registration required]
» Market Forces Pushing Doctors to Be More Available

4/24/2006 - American Medical News (AMNews)
» AAFP picks doctors to test new practice care model
Family physicians hope that the national project will help them reshape the specialty.

4/13/2006 - MedScape / WebMD
» AAFP Practice Redesign Initiative Aims at Transforming Primary Care

4/11/2006 - The Harlan Tribune - Harlan, Iowa
» Myrtue Medical chosen for national project

4/5/2006 - AAFP News Now (ANN)
» 36 Practices Selected - AAFP's TransforMED Launches Project to Prove Innovative Model of Care

4/05/2006 - Health Data Management
» Tests Start to Redesign Practices

4/3/2006 - US Newswire
» Family Medicine Launches Project to Transform Primary Care;
36 Family Medicine Practices Prepare to Undergo Transformative Change

04/03/06 - Healthcare IT News
» Technology at core of new practice transformation project

12/12/2005 - American Medical News (AMNews)
» Future of family medicine: Multimillion-dollar makeover
A pilot program will transform the face of primary care