Doctors' group cuts readmissions by examining patients in homes.
Three cheers for the old-fashioned house call. CareMore Medical Group in Downey, CA, thought too many of its seniors were returning to the hospital within just one week of discharge. So it set up a pilot program under which medical residents visited vulnerable elderly at home. The results were stunning. The program has cut readmissions occurring within one week to 16% in May 2000 from 53% the previous May.
D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D006123:Group Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States