Sacramento County Effort Credited With Drop in Seniors’ ED Use
A case management program for seniors who are frequent users of hospital emergency services has been credited with reducing emergency department visits and cutting the number of days program participants spend in hospitals, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health have teamed up with Sacramento County Adult Protective Services for the program, which identifies frequent users of hospital EDs to a team of social workers, public health nurses and family support specialists at APS who help the patients obtain services in more appropriate settings.
Sutter spokesperson Gary Zavoral said the program has saved $1.1 million in hospital costs and emergency services at Sutter Medical Center.
Kaiser did not specify its savings, but county program planner Judy Ludwick said Kaiser's Sacramento and Roseville facilities have seen 67 program participants' ED visits decline from 295 to 145 over an 18-month period.
As a result, Kaiser is expanding the program to its south Sacramento facility.
Moreover, county leaders hope that UC-Davis Medical Center and Mercy join the effort (Creamer, Sacramento Bee, 1/11).
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