McKay-Dee Hospital's Porter Family Clinic earns national recognition for patient-centered care

The certification has focused on giving patients access to high-quality healthcare through teamwork, highly coordinated processes, and information technology.

Anne Hutchinson, MD, family practice physician at Porter Family, led the efforts with program director Gregory Gochnour, MD. "Through the certification we’ve become more patient-centered,” says Dr.  Hutchinson. “Medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and they can improve experiences of care for both the patient and physician.”

What happens in a certified medical home? While the improvements are mostly behind the scenes, patients will notice some differences, says Dr. Hutchinson. For example, patients are encouraged to be proactive in their health care with help from a nurse care manager. If you're diabetic, for example, you'll receive counselling and preventative follow-up, such as a reminder for a yearly eye exam.

The clinic has also prioritized screening for common health issues, such as depression and high blood pressure, and referrals to specialists. Patients who need further testing, labs, imaging, or referrals, are provided those resources, and most importantly, the results are tracked to help the patient stay proactive.

"We've problem-solved a lot of areas that will ultimately lead to better clinical outcomes and a healthier community," Dr. Hutchinson says. "This achievement took years of hard work. We want to show appreciation to our staff and the residents who've worked so hard the last few years to do this work."

The Porter Family Clinic, located on Level A of McKay-Dee Hospital, provides health care for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Physicians and staff assume responsibility for the total healthcare of the individual and family, which emphasizes continuity in the physician-patient relationship. Same-day appointments are available.

The clinic is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and same-day appointments are available. Call 801-387-5300 or learn more here: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/mckay-dee-porter-family-practice/