Community Care of North Carolina: Improving Care Through Community Health Networks
Ann Fam Med Steiner et al.
6: 361
In Brief
Community Care of North Carolina: Improving Care Through Community Health Networks
Beat D. Steiner
, and colleagues
Background The United States leads the world in health care costs but ranks low in quality of care. This article describes Community Care of North Carolina, a partnership between practicing community doctors, hospitals, health departments, social services departments, and Medicaid to increase health care quality and reduce costs.
What This Study Found Community Care of North Carolina has improved health care quality and reduced costs since it began 10 years ago. The program is now saving the State of North Carolina at least $160 million per year.
Implications
- This program provides a model of care that could be implemented across the United States.
- Lessons learned from the North Carolina experience can be useful to others seeking to establish effective systems of care for patients with chronic illness.
