HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Horizons Mental Health Center has been recognized as a “Pinnacle Practice,” one of just five physician practices in Kansas to receive the distinction, which comes with a $12,000 award.

Horizons is one of 180 practices in the Kansas Practice Transformation Network (PTN), which is administered by the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) and awarded the distinction.

“We appreciate the resources and technical know-how that working with the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative has afforded us for several years now,” Vikki Mader, Director of Health Information Management, said. “Working with KHC has helped us ensure that we are delivering the very best health care possible to our patients—making the kind of improvements that lead to being recognized as a Pinnacle Practice.”

KHC is the state lead for the Compass PTN, a regional network that is one of 29 PTNs nationwide. Together they are part of the Transforming Clinical Practice initiative (TCPi), a program of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services aimed at promoting broad payment and practice reform in primary care and specialty care, promoting care coordination between providers of services and suppliers, establishing community-based health teams to support chronic care management and promoting improved quality and reduced cost by developing a collaborative of institutions that support practice transformation.

PTNs are peer-based learning networks designed to mentor and assist practices in improvement in the broad areas. A “Pinnacle Practice” is among the top 5% of enrolled practices based on reporting and phase progression as TCPi enters its fourth and final year.