A study has showed 30-day readmission rates for pneumonia, heart attack and heart failure decrease as the number of family physicians increase, according to a report from American Family Physician.
Adding one family practitioner per 1,000 population reduces readmission rates for pneumonia by 7 percent, heart attach by 5 percent and heart failure by 8 percent, according to the study.
An estimated 46 family practitioners per 100,000 population could reduce readmission costs by $81 million per year. If that number increased to 100 family practitioners per 100,000, costs could be reduced by $579 million per year — 83 percent of the $710 million target established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Read the American Family Physician report on family physicians and reduced readmissions.
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