A medical home supports the child with a provider who best knows the child’s medical history.

Story by: Adisa Mohammad Wali on July 14, 2022

A medical home is not so much a place as a partnership — a team of pediatric care providers that knows your child’s health history and provides your child’s care as they grow. Your medical home providers create a bond that not only respects and honors your culture and traditions, but also develops a trusting relationship with you and your child through the years.

One of the best parts about having a medical home is being able to work with your child’s health provider to individualize your child’s care. Your provider can focus on what is most needed for your child and coordinate care among any other specialists or services needed. It also is a place to turn for health information and support.

“A medical home supports the child with a provider who best knows the child’s medical history and values, especially for children with medically complex conditions,” said Becky S. Carothers, M.D., pediatrician and executive medical director, pediatrics, Norton Children’s Medical Group, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine.

A medical home also offers peace of mind that your child can get care when and where they need it, from access to after-hours and weekend services to telehealth appointments and phone consultations to get answers to questions. These types of services can help families avoid a trip to an emergency room for nonurgent care because their doctor was unavailable or unreachable.

“For a parent, knowing that they have a health care professional who is aware of their family’s needs is invaluable,” Dr. Carothers said. “A medical home is the exact type of place that can offer that.”

And speaking of value, a medical home can help cut down on health care costs by decreasing the number of outpatient and emergency visits, because children who regularly see a pediatrician generally have better health outcomes.

Many offices offer convenient weekday evening and Saturday morning office hours. Same-day appointments are available for unexpected visits, and new patients can be seen within 24 hours. Providers are available around the clock for late-night concerns.