Knowledge Bank

Abstract Project Purpose The purpose of this project was to describe the Southeastern Ohio Appalachian patient’s primary care experiences. The data was used to determine how their perceptions of high quality care fit with the published aspects of the Patient Centered Medical Home Model. The Patient Centered Medical Home may improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and increase access to this underserved population (Rosser, Colwill, Kasperski, & Wilson, 2011). Setting The setting for this project was Washington County, Ohio. This area borders West Virginia and the Ohio River. It is an Appalachian county consisting of a 2011 population of 61,755, with a median household income of $41,654 and with 15.2% of the population below the poverty limit (United States Census Bureau, 2013). Design The design of this project was qualitative. A grounded theory approach was used to conduct interviews of twenty-five primary care patients residing in and seeking health care in Washington County. The interviews were semi-structured. Interviews were conducted and transcribed by the investigator. Interviews were reviewed and coded line by line. Data Miner software was used to track and sort codes. Categories were created as they emerged, and checked for credibility and consistency of responses. A grounded theory was created from the data. Findings Findings indicated that the Appalachian patients were cared for by providers they trusted. They felt that they were treated as individuals. They saw electronic medical records as a positive resource, Running head: APPALACHIAN EXPERIENCES 3 although they had privacy concerns. Patients were unhappy with the timeliness of appointments, and access to care, and a sense that providers were hurried. They did not feel their treatment plans were unique and tailored. They did not experience collaboration among providers in the region. The Patient Centered Medical Home may be a solution to many of the deficiencies the Appalachian patient is experiencing in their care. Future directions for investigation would include examining the success of Medical Homes already established in the Appalachian region