Optimizing resource use, eliminating waste, aligning provider incentives, reducing overall costs, and coordinating the delivery of quality care while improving outcomes have been major themes of health care reform initiatives. Recent legislation contains several provisions designed to move away from the current fee-for-service payment mechanism toward a model that reimburses providers for caring for a population of patients over time while shifting more financial risk to providers. In this article, we review current approaches to episode of care development and reimbursement. We describe the challenges of incorporating emergency medicine into the episode of care approach and the uncertain influence this delivery model will have on emergency medicine care, including quality outcomes. We discuss the limitations of the episode of care payment model for emergency services and advocate retention of the current fee-for-service payment model, as well as identify research gaps that, if addressed, could be used to inform future policy decisions of emergency medicine health policy leaders. We then describe a meaningful role for emergency medicine in an episode of care setting.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2011.08.020DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

emergency medicine
20
episode care
16
current fee-for-service
8
fee-for-service payment
8
medicine episode
8
payment model
8
care
7
emergency
6
medicine
5
episodes care
4

Similar Publications

Background: Radiation-induced sarcoma (RIS) is an exceptionally rare occurrence following radiation therapy, and manifestation usually occurs after a several-year latency period. Herein, the authors report the development of a radiation-induced osteosarcoma of the frontoparietal calvaria following treatment for an oligodendroglioma in an 84-year-old woman.

Observations: The patient had been diagnosed with a grade III anaplastic oligodendroglioma when she was 78 years old.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Immersive virtual reality (iVR) has emerged as a training method to prepare medical first responders (MFRs) for mass casualty incidents (MCIs) and disasters in a resource-efficient, flexible, and safe manner. However, systematic evaluations and validations of potential performance indicators for virtual MCI training are still lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether different performance indicators based on visual attention, triage performance, and information transmission can be effectively extended to MCI training in iVR by testing if they can discriminate between different levels of expertise.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Self-harm represents a complex and multifaceted public health issue of global significance, exerting profound effects on individuals and communities alike. It involves intentional self-poisoning or self-injury with or without the motivation to die. Although self-harm is highly prevalent, limited research has focused on the patterns and trends of self-harm among hospital populations in low- and middle-income countries, particularly within Africa.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Safety culture development is essential for patient safety in healthcare institution. Perceptions of patient safety and cultural changes are reflected in patient safety reports; however, they were rarely investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of physicians and to explore the development of safety culture using quantitative content analysis for patient safety reports.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hospitals face mounting pressure to reduce unplanned utilization amid rising healthcare demands from an aging population. The Case management for At-Risk patients in the Emergency Department (CARED) program is among the first ED transitional care strategies to focus on both frail older adults and emergency department (ED) re-attenders to reduce acute hospital utilization. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CARED program in reducing hospital (re)admissions and ED re-attendances within 30- and 60 days post-discharge.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!