The Primary Care Information Project in New York City has assisted 267 small office-based practices and community health centers representing over 900 physicians to achieve recognition from the National Committee on Quality Assurance's Patient Centered Medical Home program. These practices serve populations in lower income neighborhoods with typically higher rates of chronic diseases, health risks, and mortality. Establishing a sustainable care delivery model that can improve health care quality, as well as maintain or lower costs is a priority for this region. This study proposes to develop a structured interview administered to up to 45 practices to estimate the time and resources practices expend to maintain the tasks and activities that define transformed primary care. The study will also determine the range of costs associated with organizational attributes as practices in this region utilize various formal and informal processes to meet medical home standards. Results of this study will inform several stakeholders, including office-based practices in planning and updating their PCMH recognition or in the process of pursuing transformation. The study can also inform future policy making with regards to new payment structures or implementing rewards for primary care.
