[The special attention to re-admitted patients can be effective. Cost-benefit analysis of a new health care model]

Abstract

Background: Patients with chronic conditions are commonly readmitted to hospital. A study was designed to improve their medical care. The cost/benefit analysis is presented to evaluate its efficiency.

Patients and methods: Patients attended at the Internal Medicine Department in a hospital area who were readmitted three or more times in a year were included in the study. In a prospective study, patients were attended by means of a specific consultation with upon request care or through telephone care, with the possibility of elective admission. A comparison was made of costs of the new care program with costs of their usual care, and it was correlated with attending results.

Results: Patients were followed for 32 months with a 45% decrease in admissions, 50% in visits to the Emergency Department, and 26% in the hospital stay days. The new program involves monthly savings over 5 million pesetas for the attended population.

Conclusions: The proposed health care program decreases the attending needs in these patients and costs derived from hospital care. An efficient alternative is shown.