Grand Valley Health Plan pioneers patient-centered care, ranked #4 commercial plan in U.S.

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance recently ranked Grand Valley Health Plan fourth out of the top 50 commercial health plans in the country in its annual America’s Best Health Plans ranking.

And while this is the fourth consecutive year GVHP was named to the top 50, its most innovative accomplishment is how it has pioneered Patient Centered Medical Home health care since 1982 — a health care model that is now considered a new trend for health care centers across the nation.

Patient Centered Medical Home revolves around providing a health care “home” where patients become part of a health care team and determine what they need to do to improve their own lives and health.

“We’ve been doing this since we opened our doors,” says Barbara Luskin, quality manager. “You have a doctor who leads a team of nurses, patient care coordinators, physician’s assistants and medical assistants. We’ve integrated mental health and nutritionists into our services. Everyone works with you to come up with a plan of treatment that’s best for you.”

Grand Valley has six offices throughout greater Grand Rapids, and the company chooses to stay small. Nevertheless, the national rankings show that the care quality competes with large national health care companies.

“The ranking measures consumer access to care and consumer satisfaction, which means we’re available to them and can get them care when they need it,” Luskin says. “Grand Valley is about your doctor calling you at home to see how you’re doing. Before I worked here I fell off a ladder, went to Grand Valley for treatment and the doctor called me that night and asked ‘how’s your leg doing?’ I mean, who does that?”

Source: Barbara Luskin, Grand Valley Health Plan

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].