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Nursing Homes as Acute Care Providers A Pilot Study of Incentives to Reduce Hospitalizations
Author(s) -
Zimmer James G.,
Eggert Gerald M.,
Treat Anne,
Brodows Belinda
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1988.tb01781.x
Subject(s) - medicine , medicaid , incentive , nursing homes , emergency department , skilled nursing facility , acute care , emergency medicine , nursing , medical emergency , retrospective cohort study , intensive care medicine , family medicine , health care , economics , microeconomics , economic growth
This program was designed to encourage treatment of episodes of acute illness in skilled nursing facilities in order to avoid costly and potentially traumatic admission to hospital. It is part of the Monroe County Long Term Care Program, Inc, system of case management and Medicare and Medicaid waivers, and consists of financial incentives, paid by Medicare, to facilities and to responsible physicians to evaluate and care for acutely ill patients in the SNF's when medically safe and feasible. A retrospective evaluation using a physician assessment committee concluded that among the first 112 patients in the program, 76% were very probably saved hospitalization or at least an emergency room visit. Acute bacterial infection was the most common category of episode, occurring in 46% of cases. Considerable savings to both Medicare and Medicaid were estimated to have resulted.