Much of this care occurs in emergency departments, which may not be the most appropriate site of care. One study showed 15 percent to 23 percent of CJR-eligible patients visit the ED within 90 days of discharge — and 40 percent of those visits took place at non-affiliated EDs, potentially adding cost or unnecessary readmissions, according to healthcare think tank MPA Healthcare Solutions.
Focusing on post-acute care presents an important opportunity for hospitals looking to manage costs in APMs. An analysis of the Medicare Bundled Payment for Care Improvement initiative indicated much of the $864 average decline in Medicare payments for orthopedic surgery episodes could be attributed to reduced use of institutional post-acute care. The same study identified a statistically significant increase in ED utilization. This sets up a scenario where savings that accrue from a shift to discharge home may be lost as patients require unscheduled care in the immediate post-discharge period.
To learn more about how to better manage post-discharge unscheduled care and make bundled payment models more sustainable, join Susan Nedza, MD, the senior vice president for clinical outcomes at MPA Healthcare Solutions, for a complimentary webinar Tuesday, April 11 at 12 p.m. CT.
Dr. Nedza will discuss how to build an acute-care model that embraces appropriate emergency department utilization through patient-focused risk assessment, coordination with physicians, clinical management, and patient education. Register here.
