The Helpfulness of CCM
In 2018, Medicare patients with two or more chronic conditions accounted for $710 billion dollars in spending. That spending represents ⅔’s of all beneficiaries, amounting to 58 million patients across the country. For many of these patients, managing healthy living by themselves can be difficult, and potentially costly with unnecessary hospital admissions. With CCM program, these beneficiaries can bridge the gaps in their care, and continue on the path to living a long and health life.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 60% of all Medicare beneficiaries’ ER visits are considered unnecessary or trivial. In terms of all hospital visits, 25% are considered avoidable. Medicare patients should not only avoid these visits for financial reasons, but also for maintaining their health. Avoiding an unnecessary ER or hospital visit can actually protect a chronically ill patient’s life by preventing any further illnesses or complications.
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According to Dr. Harlan Krumholz of Yale University, all patients but especially elderly patients increase their chances at developing further complications for 30 days after a hospital admission. This period, known as Post-Hospital Syndrome, puts a patient’s health at risk and actually increases the chances of readmission. When an unnecessary admissions occurs, a patient can put themselves at risk of medication issues, infections, sleeplessness, and bedsores. For a chronically ill patient, these risks can seriously jeopardize health, especially if the issue could’ve been dealt with a timely visit to a PCP rather than the hospital.
Not only does the CCM program make better sense financially for a patient, it promotes and maintains health far better than an unneeded hospital visit. A simple call every month can help a patient better manage their exercise, diet, emotional challenges, and medications. These monthly conversations can also help a patient distinguish between a serious problem that needs hospitalization, and one that can be handled by their Primary Care Physician.
To learn more about EHI’s CCM solution, visit our website at www.ehiconnect.com