title: Evaluation of a managed care program for the non-Medicaid urban poor.
abstract: In 1988, Detroit and surrounding Wayne County, Michigan, began CountyCare, an innovative managed care program designed to deliver health care services to the very poor while reducing excessive emergency-room and inpatient care. We interviewed 279 former CountyCare participants to assess differences in off-program utilization, use of clinical services, hospitalization, and patient satisfaction among respondents assigned to one of four CountyCare provider groups. Patients responded favorably to CountyCare, although off-program utilization was substantial and emergency-room and inpatient care were not significantly reduced. We conclude that how such a program is managed and administered, and a provider's degree of motivation, govern the extent to which it succeeds in reducing health care costs and increasing patient satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Program in Health Administration, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti 48197.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Douglass
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008489:Medical Indigency; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011203:Poverty; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014504:Urban Health