Joint Commission Declares Medical Doctors Not the Only Providers Qualified to Lead Patient-Centered Medical Homes

Joint Commission Declares Medical Doctors Not the Only Providers Qualified to Lead Patient-Centered Medical Homes

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The  (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, applauds the , a national nonprofit organization that accredits more than 20,000 healthcare organizations and programs, for its restatement in favor of “non-physician” led patient-centered medical home (PCMH) healthcare teams. The F4CP points to doctors of chiropractic (D.C.s) as being trained to both serve and lead within the PCMH setting.

“Collaboration between providers is a central element to achieving the high quality and cost-effective goals of the PCMH model,” says Gerard Clum, D.C., spokesperson, F4CP. “Possessing extensive training in diagnosis and treatment, doctors of chiropractic (D.C.) can contribute tremendous value to PCMHs. Particularly, for patients with conditions, such as low back pain, neck pain and headaches, evidence supports chiropractic as a suitable option that presents greater opportunity for superior outcomes.”

According to the F4CP report, there are several roles a D.C. can assume within a PCMH to advance patient care:

National entities, including the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and URAC, agree that an organization can provide the attributes of a PCMH without physician leadership – with the exception of the American Medical Association House of Delegates.

“I congratulate the Joint Commission for opening the doors to other healthcare disciplines to support patient care through the PCMH model,” says Dr. Clum. “This updated approach allows care to be determined based on a patient’s needs, rather than a profession’s needs. It marks a tremendous step forward for our nation’s healthcare system and patient population, and I am optimistic that this will soon become the generally accepted method for care delivery.”

A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress aims to inform and educate the general public about the many benefits associated with chiropractic care. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit us on the web at or call 866-901-F4CP (3427).