UW Family Medicine Clinic Receives Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition

The University of Wyoming’s Family Medicine Residency Clinic in Cheyenne has officially received Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition.

Part of the Educational Health Center of Wyoming (EHCW) in UW’s College of Health Sciences, the Cheyenne clinic received its PCMH recognition through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

NCQA evaluates a primary care practice against specific standards for delivering comprehensive, coordinated and patient-centered care. Practices that meet these criteria are then recognized, signaling their commitment to continuous quality improvement, enhancing the patient experience and providing high-quality care in a team-based setting.

“We are very proud of the UW Family Medicine clinic in their recent achievement of attaining PCMH certification,” says Thomas Smoll, chief executive officer of the EHCW. “PCMHs are so important to our patients and communities. They create an engaged relationship between the patient and caregiver team as well as decreases health disparities. PCMHs can keep our patients out of the emergency room and create a better environment for care.”

“This recognition reflects the outstanding dedication of our Family Medicine Residency Clinic team in Cheyenne and their unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care to Wyoming communities,” says Patrick Hardigan, dean of the College of Health Sciences. “Achieving PCMH recognition through the NCQA is a national mark of excellence and underscores the value of team-based, coordinated care that improves outcomes and enhances the patient experience. I am deeply grateful to the entire Educational Health Center of Wyoming team for their leadership and innovation in advancing primary care and resident education across our state.”

The process of gaining recognition takes a year and a long-term commitment to keeping this certification, with annual reporting requirements. This recognition reflects the ongoing commitment to providing patient-centered care that improves access, quality and outcomes for communities the EHCW clinics serve.

UW Family Practice in Casper received its PCMH recognition in 2015. The Albany Community Health Clinic in Laramie has started its transformation into becoming a PCMH facility by June 2026.

About UW’s College of Health Sciences

 

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.