Newswise — CHICAGO, IL, October 14, 2019—The American Academy of Home Care Medicine (AAHCM) is thrilled to announce that The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF) has awarded AAHCM a $340,000 grant to create a Home-Based Primary Care National Practice Directory.  The John A. Hartford Foundation has also made grants for a Workforce and Education initiative from the Home-Centered Care Institute (HCCI) and a national Learning Collaborative for Home-Based Primary Care and Palliative Care.

Home-Based Primary Care programs provide desperately needed primary and palliative care and social services to more than 100,000 high-risk homebound patients, often suffering multiple chronic conditions, when and where they need it.  Multidisciplinary teams of Home-Based Primary Care professionals improve patients’ quality of life by caring for them according to their preferences in their own homes.

This project builds on a recent communications campaign to increase awareness of Home-Based Primary Care among payers and providers, also funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation.  The new grant will allow the field of Home-Based Primary Care to take the next step through establishment of a quality national Practice Directory.  With the success of the recently published digital toolkit, AAHCM will now turn to improving the connection between patients, caregivers and Home-Based Primary Care providers in their communities.

Over the next three years, AAHCM will work with stakeholders to design and implement a robust online provider directory.  Based on quality indicators from the literature and Independence at Home project, this directory will ensure that patients, caregivers and other stakeholders can identify Home-Based Primary Care providers who offer quality and key services.  Special attention will be paid to user education and accessibility to ensure easy navigation and practical value of the directory. The project will also feature a communications strategy to generate awareness for the directory and share timely information with patients, providers and payers.

The President of AAHCM, Dr. Eric De Jonge, notes “This grant recognizes the crucial national need for a directory that connects patients, families, and colleagues with Home-Based Primary Care practices that deliver high-quality care and value for the entire health care system”. 

“Helping frail older adults get primary care in the home is one transformative and common-sense way we are making health care more age-friendly,” said Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, President of The John A. Hartford Foundation. “We are proud to support AAHCM in creating its provider directory and all of the partners in this initiative working to make Home-Based Primary Care more available to those who need it.”

American Academy of Home Care Medicine

AAHCM is a professional organization serving the needs of physicians, health professionals, and organizations committed to improving care of patients in the home. AAHCM delivers on the promise of interdisciplinary, high-value health care in the home for all people in need by promoting the art, science, and practice of home care medicine. The AAHCM membership is composed of physicians, medical directors, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, registered nurses, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, practice administrators, and residents/students working in the field of home care medicine. For more information on AAHCM, please visit www.aahcm.org.

The John A. Hartford Foundation

The John A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. Established in 1929, the Foundation has three priority areas: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregiving, and improving serious illness and end-of-life care. For more information, visit www.johnahartford.org and follow @johnahartford.