CCNC, working in collaboration with the
Division of Public Health
(Women's and Children's Health Section) and the
North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation, created an educational campaign aimed at the following:
Increasing the awareness of the medical home concept - linking children with
their primary care provider and encouraging them to call their medical home.
Decreasing inappropriate Emergency Department (ED) utilization through education,
outreach and follow-up.
Developing targeted educational material (bookmarks) aimed at the three highest
reasons for pediatric ED encounters - ear infections, fever and
colds / upper respiratory infections (including the flu) and
a brochure emphasizing the medical home concept.
Creating a uniform message for the entire state and for all children
that builds upon and supports the medical home concept.
This medical home initiative for all children uses the primary message of:
"The Right Call Every Time: Your Medical Home". This approach builds upon
the
American Academy of Pediatrics' Medical Home
Initiative for Children with Special Health Care Needs.
Through the CCNC program, primary care physicians and case management
staff work closely with families enrolled in Medicaid and Health Choice
to encourage them to call their doctor first to treat primary care illnesses.
The medical home materials are designed for patient education and to
prevent inappropriate use of the emergency department. In addition, the
campaign promotes the value of preventive services and having a consistent
source of primary care services as well as the importance of a medical home.
All concepts and materials were developed using focused interviews with health
care providers and families. Several of the CCNC medical directors worked
diligently on a collaborative work group.
An electronic version of the materials can be downloaded below or ordered through
the
North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation (pediatric materials only.)
Due to the success and popularity of the pediatric materials, CCNC developed similar
educational resources for use with the adult population. Using the most common reasons for
adult ED visits, CCNC created bookmarks for low back pain, colds/upper respiratory infections
(including the flu), headaches, urinary tract infections and a brochure to encourage the
use of the medical home.
