Addressing Adult Medicine Inpatients at the Community Level
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the impact of adult medicine patients on hospital utilization in Syracuse, New York, a small metropolitan area including three urban hospitals. The study data indicated that the principal source of adult medicine patients, in hospital emergency departments, increased by 19 percent between 2010 and 2014. Another analysis showed that adult medicine discharges comprised the largest inpatient population and were closely correlated with changes in total discharges. The data also suggested that adult medicine patients were associated with excess inpatient stays when compared with national averages between 2010 and 2014 and that these excess days were difficult to eliminate. The study data also suggested that adult medicine patients were a major source of medical and surgical readmissions. The study identified the importance of adult medicine patients and suggested the need for further evaluation of this population.
This study evaluated the impact of adult medicine patients on hospital utilization in Syracuse, New York, a small metropolitan area including three urban hospitals. The study data indicated that the principal source of adult medicine patients, in hospital emergency departments, increased by 19 percent between 2010 and 2014. Another analysis showed that adult medicine discharges comprised the largest inpatient population and were closely correlated with changes in total discharges. The data also suggested that adult medicine patients were associated with excess inpatient stays when compared with national averages between 2010 and 2014 and that these excess days were difficult to eliminate. The study data also suggested that adult medicine patients were a major source of medical and surgical readmissions. The study identified the importance of adult medicine patients and suggested the need for further evaluation of this population.
Cite this paper
Lagoe, R. and Littau, S. (2015) Addressing Adult Medicine Inpatients at the Community Level. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 6, 375-381. doi: 10.4236/abb.2015.65037.
Lagoe, R. and Littau, S. (2015) Addressing Adult Medicine Inpatients at the Community Level. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 6, 375-381. doi: 10.4236/abb.2015.65037.
References
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0961 [2] Auerbach, D.L. and Kellerman, A.L. (2011) A Decade of Health Care Cost Growth Has Wiped Out Real Income Gains for an Average US Family. Health Affairs, 30, 1630-1636.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0585 [3] Levey, N.N. (2012) The Election and the Nation’s Fiscal Plight Aim the Spotlight Again on Medicare. Health Affairs, 31, 2163-2167.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0949 [4] McKinney, M. (2012) No Consensus: Healthcare Systems Slam NQF over Support of Readmissions Measure. Modern Healthcare, 42, 6-7, 12. [5] McKinney, M. (2012) Sneak Preview: Hospitals Grateful for Advance Look at How Value-Based Purchasing Will Work, But Grumble about Its Complexity. Modern Healthcare, 42, 6-7. [6] Martin, A.B., Hartman, M., Whittle, L. and Catlin, A. (2014) National Health Spending in 2012: Rate of Health Spending Growth Remain Low for the Fourth Consecutive Year. Health Affairs, 33, 67-77.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.1254 [7] Evans, M. (2012) The Early Returns on Accountable Care. Modern Healthcare, 42, S1-S5. [8] Ayanian, J.Z. and Van der Wees, P.J. (2012) Tackling Rising Health Care Costs in Massachusetts. New England Journal of Medicine, 367, 790-793.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1208710 [9] Evans, M. (2012) Bumpy Start: While Medicare’s ACO program Is Growing Rapidly, Technology Snags Threaten Success. Modern Healthcare, 42, 6-7. [10] Fisher, E.S., Shortell, S.M., Kriendler, S.A., Van Citters, A.D. and Larson, B.K. (2012) A Framework for Evaluating the Formation, Implementation, and Accountable Care Organizations. Health Affairs, 31, 2368-2378.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0544 [11] Larson, B.K., Van Citters, A.D., Kriendler, S.A., Carluzzo, K.L., Gbernudu, J.N., Wu, F.M., Nelson, E.C., Shortell, S.M. and Fisher, E.S. (2012) Insights from Transformations under Way at Four Brookings-Dartmouth Accountable Care Organization Pilot Sites. Health Affairs, 31, 2395-2406.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1219 [12] Hoonhout, L.H., deBruijne, M.C., Wagner, C., Zegers, M., Waaijman, R., Spreeuwenberg, P., Asscheman, H., van der Wal, G. and Tulder van, M.W. (2009) Direct Medical Costs of Adverse Events in Dutch Hospitals. BMC Health Services Research, 9, 27.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-9-27 [13] Fuller, R.L., McCullough, E.C., Bao, M.Z. and Averill, R.F. (2009) Estimating the Costs of Potentially Preventable Hospital Complications. Health Care Financing Review, 30, 17-32. [14] Lagoe, R.J. and Westert, G.P. (2010) Evaluation of Hospital Inpatient Complications: A Planning Approach. BMC Health Services Research, 10, 200.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-10-200 [15] Lagoe, R.J., Nanno, D.S. and Luziani, M.E. (2012) Quantitative Tools for Addressing Hospital Readmissions. BMC Research Notes, 5, 620.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-5-620 [16] Lagoe, R., Paskinski, T., Kronenberg, P., Quinn, T. and Schaengold, P. (2006) Linking Health Services at the Community Level. Healthcare Quarterly, 9, 60-65.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12927/hcq..18229
[1] Dentzler, S. (2011) Urgent Measures for an Old Problem. Health Affairs, 30, 1626.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0961 [2] Auerbach, D.L. and Kellerman, A.L. (2011) A Decade of Health Care Cost Growth Has Wiped Out Real Income Gains for an Average US Family. Health Affairs, 30, 1630-1636.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0585 [3] Levey, N.N. (2012) The Election and the Nation’s Fiscal Plight Aim the Spotlight Again on Medicare. Health Affairs, 31, 2163-2167.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0949 [4] McKinney, M. (2012) No Consensus: Healthcare Systems Slam NQF over Support of Readmissions Measure. Modern Healthcare, 42, 6-7, 12. [5] McKinney, M. (2012) Sneak Preview: Hospitals Grateful for Advance Look at How Value-Based Purchasing Will Work, But Grumble about Its Complexity. Modern Healthcare, 42, 6-7. [6] Martin, A.B., Hartman, M., Whittle, L. and Catlin, A. (2014) National Health Spending in 2012: Rate of Health Spending Growth Remain Low for the Fourth Consecutive Year. Health Affairs, 33, 67-77.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.1254 [7] Evans, M. (2012) The Early Returns on Accountable Care. Modern Healthcare, 42, S1-S5. [8] Ayanian, J.Z. and Van der Wees, P.J. (2012) Tackling Rising Health Care Costs in Massachusetts. New England Journal of Medicine, 367, 790-793.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1208710 [9] Evans, M. (2012) Bumpy Start: While Medicare’s ACO program Is Growing Rapidly, Technology Snags Threaten Success. Modern Healthcare, 42, 6-7. [10] Fisher, E.S., Shortell, S.M., Kriendler, S.A., Van Citters, A.D. and Larson, B.K. (2012) A Framework for Evaluating the Formation, Implementation, and Accountable Care Organizations. Health Affairs, 31, 2368-2378.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0544 [11] Larson, B.K., Van Citters, A.D., Kriendler, S.A., Carluzzo, K.L., Gbernudu, J.N., Wu, F.M., Nelson, E.C., Shortell, S.M. and Fisher, E.S. (2012) Insights from Transformations under Way at Four Brookings-Dartmouth Accountable Care Organization Pilot Sites. Health Affairs, 31, 2395-2406.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1219 [12] Hoonhout, L.H., deBruijne, M.C., Wagner, C., Zegers, M., Waaijman, R., Spreeuwenberg, P., Asscheman, H., van der Wal, G. and Tulder van, M.W. (2009) Direct Medical Costs of Adverse Events in Dutch Hospitals. BMC Health Services Research, 9, 27.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-9-27 [13] Fuller, R.L., McCullough, E.C., Bao, M.Z. and Averill, R.F. (2009) Estimating the Costs of Potentially Preventable Hospital Complications. Health Care Financing Review, 30, 17-32. [14] Lagoe, R.J. and Westert, G.P. (2010) Evaluation of Hospital Inpatient Complications: A Planning Approach. BMC Health Services Research, 10, 200.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-10-200 [15] Lagoe, R.J., Nanno, D.S. and Luziani, M.E. (2012) Quantitative Tools for Addressing Hospital Readmissions. BMC Research Notes, 5, 620.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-5-620 [16] Lagoe, R., Paskinski, T., Kronenberg, P., Quinn, T. and Schaengold, P. (2006) Linking Health Services at the Community Level. Healthcare Quarterly, 9, 60-65.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12927/hcq..18229