Health care reform intended to address the massive costs of American patient care will have a good deal of work ahead. Efficient practice of preventative medicine is significant, yet it’s a category where America fails miserably. A 2009 study by the New England Journal of Medicine shows that 20 percent of Medicare patients are back within the hospital a mere 30 days after initial release. In 90 days, one-third of patients have bounced back into care for the exact same problems. What is maybe most disturbing is that after a year, two-thirds of patients are back within the hospital or dead.
Re-admission of patients is a costly dilemma
As outlined by the Huffington Post, the cost of Medicare was $17.4 billion in 2004. That tremendous cash outlay prompted Medicare administration to begin to monitor hospital re-admission rates. Those with high re-admit rates are financially penalized. The waste even spawned a new industry where private companies would analyze those hospitals in need of change. Thinking about that studies show that three-quarters of all re-admissions are preventable, seems like likely the efficiency experts have lots of business.
Hospitals and nursing facilities blame each other
Lack of communication between acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities is a common thread in just how likely a patient is to keep away from rebounding back into care. Not sharing the right info on patient and meds are among the communication issues at hand. Older patients on Medicaid – particularly those who shuttle between different types of care facilities – are among one of the most at risk in this communication black hole.
Medicare and private insurance work with blinders on
The Huffington Post cites an American Geriatric Society study that shows that Medicare and private insurance corporations are “pushing very hard” to have stroke rehab patients admitted to skilled nursing facilities rather than inpatient rehab centers. Lower original cost is the reason, but what the insurers fail to see is the significance of a re-admit rate that is seven times higher within the skilled nursing option. .
Get the answers you need
. This is why it is vitally significant that patients (Medicare or otherwise) and their loved ones question doctors concerning the risk of re-admission, and for making certain they understand the necessary care going forward. See the Huffington Post article below for more specific info on what questions to ask your doctor.
Further reading
Huffington Post
huffingtonpost.com/richard-c-senelick-md/the-bounce-back-effect-ho_b_677575.html
