Which option correctly describes a common misconception about PCMH?

• A. Fragmented specialty care
• B. Comprehensive, coordinated, accessible, family-centered care
• C. A primary care-led team-based approach
• D. Emphasis on preventive services

Answer: (B)

PCMH centers on delivering care that is comprehensive, coordinated, accessible, and family-centered, all led by a primary care team. This combination captures the essence of what the model aims to achieve: addressing the full range of a patient’s health needs, coordinating across specialists and settings, ensuring timely and easy access to care, and involving families in decision-making and care planning. The phrase describes the approach most people associate with PCMH and what it strives to provide in day-to-day practice. Fragmented specialty care reflects a misconception of what PCMH opposes rather than what it is. While a primary care–led team-based approach and an emphasis on preventive services are parts of PCMH, they don’t alone convey the full, integrated, patient- and family-centered scope as effectively as the comprehensive, coordinated, accessible, family-centered description.