Newswise — ORLANDO, FL. (January 8, 2014) – Physician Associates, a part of Orlando Health, has been awarded recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level-3 Patient Centered Medical Home. This recognition is given to primary care groups that have successfully transformed their practice(s) into medical homes for patients emphasizing care coordination and communication. As a Level-3 Medical Home, Physician Associates has demonstrated the highest quality of care, empowering patients to actively participate in their healthcare and facilitating partnerships between patients, their personal physicians and, when appropriate, the patient’s family.

“We are very proud to receive this recognition,” said Dennis Buhring, CEO, Physician Associates. “As an NCQA certified Level-3 Patient Centered Medical Home we have exemplified the commitment of our teams to take all the steps necessary to ensure comprehensive quality care for our patients while continuing to build personal relationships with them so that they consider Physician Associates their home where they can go for all of their healthcare needs.” During the survey process, Physician Associates demonstrated their ability to successfully transform into a patient-centered care model by providing the following:

• enhanced access - patients can reach healthcare professionals both during and outside of regular business hours;• proactive planning and management for the patient’s needs prior to the appointment – enabling the care team to provide complete and total care for the patient; • increased education, training and support for our patients – empowering patients to be knowledgeable about their condition(s) and encourage them to be actively involved in the care process.

The NCQA Level-3 Medical Home recognition is valid until 2016. The Patient Centered Medical Home model has been proven to improve the quality of care that patients receive, save lives and help patients stay healthy while simultaneously reducing costs and providing a better overall patient experience.

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About Orlando Health and Physician Associates

Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of physician practices, hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. Physician Associates, one of the largest multi-specialty practices in Central Florida, became a member of the Orlando Health family in January, 2013.Physician Associates includes over 90 doctors practicing Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Orthopedics, Podiatry and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. With more than 25 locations, Physician Associates prides itself on providing high quality, easy access to healthcare for families.

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