Designing services for the elderly.
Even after careful planning and a successful launch, even the best geriatric care program can not always expect smooth sailing, according to industry executives. Allen Mathies, president and chief executive officer at Huntington Memorial Hospital, cited a paradoxical side effect stemming from the success of his hospital's geriatric outreach programs. "On the one hand, by moving patients through a continuum of outpatients services, our program has helped to reduce the extraordinary costs associated with acute care hospitalization," he said. "On the other hand, those patients who are hospitalized tend to be more acutely ill. They use tremendous resources, but at a fixed reimbursement. There is a lack of recognition of our real costs by the payer." Why, then, do Huntington Memorial Hospital, Baptist Medical Center of Oklahoma, Morton F. Plant Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and other hospitals intend to continue their efforts on behalf of their communities' aging populations? The answer is that, reimbursement problems notwithstanding, benefits can be derived from making a commitment to geriatric care. "We have 19,000 people enrolled in our elder care program," Hupfeld said. "That's a powerful force. They vote. They lobby on our behalf. They support the hospital philanthropically. If you do a good job of reaching the older adults in your community, you'll find they are a powerful marketing force. They can do a lot for your image when it comes to reaching other market segments."
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D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D010934:Planning Techniques; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms