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Study Evaluates Intervention to Reduce ER Visits by Low Income and Medicaid Patients
A study conducted at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, published in the journal Health Affairs, evaluated the results of an intervention to connect low-income uninsured and Medicaid patients to a reliable source of primary healthcare.
For 20 years, use of hospital emergency departments has been on the rise in the United States, particularly among low-income patients who face barriers to accessing healthcare outside of hospitals including not having an identifiable primary healthcare provider. Almost half of emergency room visits are considered "avoidable." The Emergency Department-Primary Care Connect Initiative of the Primary Care Coalition, which ran from 2009 through 2011, linked low-income uninsured and Medicaid patients to safety-net health clinics.
"Our study found that uninsured patients with chronic health issues--such as those suffering from hypertension, diabetes, asthma, COPD, congestive heart failure, depression or anxiety--relied less on the emergency department after they were linked to a local health clinic for ongoing care," says Dr Karoline Mortensen, assistant professor of health services administration at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and senior researcher. "Connecting patients to primary care and expanding the availability of these safety-net clinics could reduce emergency department visits and provide better continuity of care for vulnerable populations."
Read the complete report on the study at ScienceDaily: http://bit.ly/1RcOewV
Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
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What We’re Reading: UnitedHealth Lawsuit; Fentanyl Crackdown; Global Heat Deaths Increase
November 15th 2023A class action lawsuit was filed against UnitedHealth Group and a subsidiary for allegedly using an algorithm to deny rehabilitation coverage for seriously ill patients; US and China officials are finalizing an agreement to crack down on fentanyl; a study published Tuesday projected global heat deaths to increase by 370% if no action is taken against global warming.
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Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Dr Debra Patt of Texas Oncology
August 1st 2023Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, for episode 2 of our newest podcast, "Oncology Onward: Conversations With Innovators and Changemakers in Cancer Care."
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