Jerry and Bob are twins who, up until six months ago, lived with their mother. When she died suddenly and her home was foreclosed, the two brothers found themselves homeless. Neither of them has a job, and both are disabled: Jerry has a physical injury caused by a past construction job, and Bob has severe cardiac disease. On the coldest night of the fall season, Bob is stricken with severe chest pain that is unrelieved by oral nitroglycerin.
Many case managers have been working to forge ties with community groups in an effort to help patients maintain their health once they leave the hospital. But do these ties with community-based organizations help keep patients out of the hospital?
Electronic health records fall short of early promises that they would reduce administrative costs, a recent study found. The cost of completing insurance- and billing-related activities in the EHR can represent more than a quarter of professional reimbursement for an emergency department visit.
Transitions of care are a time when lapses can occur and problems can arise. Transfers are one of those transitions, and asking the right questions can help ensure problems aren’t overlooked, including ones that could later interfere with quality.
