Mobile integrated health to reduce post-discharge acute care visits: A pilot study

Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) leverages specially trained paramedics outside of emergency response to bridge gaps in local health care delivery. To evaluate the efficacy of a MIH led transitional care strategy to reduce acute care utilization. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of a quality i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of emergency medicine 2018-05, Vol.36 (5), p.843-845
Main Authors: Siddle, Jennica, Pang, Peter S., Weaver, Christopher, Weinstein, Elizabeth, O'Donnell, Daniel, Arkins, Thomas P., Miramonti, Charles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Continuity of care
Emergency medical care
Emergency preparedness
Health care access
Health services utilization
Heart attacks
Heart failure
Hospitalization
Hospitals
Intervention
Paramedics
Patients
Pneumonia
Primary care
Quality control
Teams
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Summary:Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) leverages specially trained paramedics outside of emergency response to bridge gaps in local health care delivery. To evaluate the efficacy of a MIH led transitional care strategy to reduce acute care utilization. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of a quality improvement pilot of patients from an urban, single county EMS, MIH transitional care initiative. We utilized a paramedic/social worker (or social care coordinator) dyad to provide in home assessments, medication review, care coordination, and improve access to care. The primary outcome compared acute care utilization (ED visits, observation stays, inpatient visits) 90days before MIH intervention to 90days after. Of the 203 patients seen by MIH teams, inpatient utilization decreased significantly from 140 hospitalizations pre-MIH to 26 post-MIH (83% reduction, p=0.00). ED and observation stays, however, increased numerically, but neither was significant. (ED 18 to 19 stays, p=0.98; observation stays 95 to 106, p=0.30) Primary care visits increased 15% (p=0.11). In this pilot before/after study, MIH significantly reduces acute care hospitalizations.
ISSN:0735-6757
1532-8171
DOI:10.1016/j.ajem.2017.12.064