Jermyn, Pennsylvania | September 13, 2019 — The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley was recently recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) with a Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration. “Many times behavioral health conditions are first identified by a primary care provider,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President. “So adding behavioral health care services in a primary care setting is a real opportunity for patients. It knocks down barriers to behavioral care and improves overall health.” Based on the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) care model, practices that follow medical evidence to deliver high-quality, coordinated care and are committed to continuous improvement over time are eligible for a variety of NCQA distinctions. According to the NCQA, the Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration “helps practices provide comprehensive whole person care that acknowledges the behavioral health needs of the individual beyond the core requirements of NCQA PCMH Recognition. The Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration calls for a primary care setting to have a care team (care managers, psychiatrists, or other practitioners) in place to manage the broad needs of patients with conditions related to behavioral health, focusing on the use of evidence-based protocols and ongoing quality measurement and improvement. Integrating behavioral health into primary care can improve access, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.” The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley integrates a variety of healthcare services — including behavioral health, addiction/recovery, oral health, nutrition counseling and more — into primary care for a whole-patient approach to wellness. Its full-service, on-site behavioral health suite consists of licensed social workers, case managers, certified recovery specialists, psychiatrists, psychiatry resident physicians and a certified registered nurse practitioner. The team continues to expand and add new roles to meet patient needs.
Click here to learn more about The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley. Click here to learn more about NCQA’s Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration.
###
The Wright Center for Community Health and its affiliated entity, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, is a non-profit, community-based graduate medical education consortium and safety-net provider of primary care services with a mission to improve the health and welfare of our community through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.
The Wright Center for Community Health provides healthcare services for children and adults through a Patient-Centered Medical Home model, a welcoming setting in which a patient’s healthcare team, led by a single trusted healthcare provider, works collectively to coordinate care and meet physical and mental health needs. The Wright Center for Community Health’s team is focused on innovations to make primary care more efficient, effective, affordable and satisfying to patients and providers. The Wright Center for Community Health’s clinics are located in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Clarks Summit and Jermyn.
The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Psychiatry Residencies, as well as our Cardiovascular Disease and Gastroenterology Fellowships, were designed to empower residents as innovators and nimble leaders responsive to the needs of the community they serve. Each year, nearly 200 residents and fellows are immersed in diverse community venues where they are most needed, increasing their long-term likelihood of working in such settings after completing their training. Our training model follows the national Beyond Flexner movement, focused on training community-minded health professionals as agents of more equitable healthcare. To date, more than 800 physicians practicing all across the country have completed their medical training with The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.