Since its formation in 1995, The Longstreet Clinic, P.C., (TLC) has been committed innovation and driving improvement in health care. By embracing compassionate, evidence-based quality standards of care, the Clinic recently received recognition from two national organizations that measure and certify practices in key areas of performance, making it one of the first to achieve such designations.
Longstreet Cancer Center is now one of only two practices in the state of Georgia and 116 in the United States to be certified by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The QOPI® Certification Program is an initiative to certify oncology practices that meet rigorous standards for high-quality cancer care.
“We are proud to be among the first to receive this important certification, which underscores our commitment to both safety and the highest quality of care for our patients,” said Dr. Richard LoCicero, president of The Longstreet Clinic.
QOPI is a voluntary program that enables hematology-oncology and medical oncology practices to assess the quality of the care they provide to patients. QOPI analyzes individual practice data and compares these to more than 80 evidence-based and consensus quality measures.
On March 12, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced that TLC’s Department of Family Medicine in Oakwood, which includes Marti Gibbs, M.D., John N. Range, M.D., and Andrew B. Reisman, M.D., had been certified as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home Program, an innovative program for improving primary care. The Longstreet Clinic is the first practice in Northeast Georgia and only the tenth in the state to receive this level of PCMH recognition.
Obtaining this level of recognition means a practice has demonstrated that it meets required standards including utilization of evidence-based criteria, patient-centered care and information technology in the delivery of care to patients.
In a set of standards that describe clear and specific criteria, the NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home program requires that practices organize care around patients, coordinate care through multi-disciplinary teams and monitor outcomes over time. The PCMH is a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients and their personal physicians, and when appropriate, the patient’s family. Care is facilitated by registries, information technology and other means to assure that patients get the indicated care when and where they need and want it in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
In addition to the PCMH, TLC holds certification by the NCQA’s Diabetes Recognition Program and Heart/Stroke Recognition Program, making it the only practice in the state to carry three different sets of NCQA recognitions.
“As the delivery of medical care continues to evolve, our commitment to providing the highest level of patient care hasn’t wavered,” said Mimi Collins, CEO of The Longstreet Clinic. “We are pleased that we continue to be leaders when it comes to adopting the best practices in the industry that improve the quality of care, patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.”
The Longstreet Clinic, P.C. (TLC), incorporated in 1995, is a multi-specialty medical group owned and managed by physicians. TLC has grown to include more than 90 physicians and 50 nurse practitioners, physicians assistants and certified nurse midwives in over 15 specialties. The Longstreet Clinic has been ranked by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as the eighth largest physician group practice in Metro Atlanta, and as the third largest independent group practice.
With its main campus located in Gainesville, TLC physicians also see patients at offices in Oakwood, Buford, Braselton, Dahlonega, Baldwin and Toccoa. Doctors you know. Care you trust. The Longstreet Clinic, where patient care is always centered around you.
