Can Patients Be Taught to Avoid Unnecessary Trips to the ER? A Study in AJMC® Suggests Some Can
By a
Researchers speculated that patients might have different responses to education strategies, depending on their age. Across six ERs in the Kaiser Permanente Health Network, they identified a total of 9,093 patients who had made a low-acuity emergency visit; of these, 609 patients would receive a phone call and 771 would receive educational materials in the mail to tell them about other venues for their future medical needs. Patients were matched with controls, and researchers looked at ER use six months later.
They found that patients age 65 or older had a 22 percent drop in use of the ER after the phone call follow-up from an ER physician, while those younger than 65 had a 27 percent reduction after receiving educational materials in the mail. They agree that these differences call for more study: older patients appeared easier to reach by phone, for example.
Dr.
Accompanying the study is an editorial by Dr.
"Consumers must not be left on their own to decide whether acute care is necessary and where it should be provided. Patient-centered approaches to optimize the use of the [emergency department] must be integrated into more comprehensive population health initiatives," they write. "A key element of this strategic plan includes the development of user-friendly tools that help patients decide when to seek care and where best to receive it." About The American Journal of Managed Care®: The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) is a peer-reviewed, MEDLINE-indexed journal that keeps readers on the forefront of health policy by publishing research relevant to industry decision makers as they work to promote the efficient delivery of high-quality care. AJMC.com is the essential website for managed care professionals, distributing industry updates daily to leading stakeholders. Other titles in the AJMC® family include The American Journal of Accountable Care®, and two evidence-based series, Evidence-Based Oncology™ and Evidence-Based Diabetes Management™. These comprehensive offerings bring together stakeholder views from payers, providers, policymakers and other industry leaders in managed care. To order reprints of articles appearing in AJMC® publications, please contact
Keywords for this news article include: Health and Medicine, The American Journal of Managed Care®.
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