One of the major efforts in bringing down the cost of health care is finding ways for hospitals and other medical care providers to operate in a more efficient manner. One cost-saving opportunity is working to minimize or prevent hospital readmissions.
In a paper published in 2015 by the American Medical Association, “Underlying Reasons Associated With Hospital Readmission Following Surgery in the United States,” the authors argue that “(r)eadmission as a quality and cost-containment metric is now a major issue for hospitals, clinicians, and policy makers.”
The data associated with this development paint a picture that should be cause for concern for medical providers and anybody interested in reigning in the escalating costs of America’s health care system.
Preventable Readmissions
As the graphic below demonstrates, preventable readmissions cost the Medicare system upwards of $17 billion. That’s a pretty staggering number, especially considering that every one of those dollars is being spent for reasons that are often completely avoidable.
For example, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, authors Ryan P. Merkow, Mila H. Ju and Jeanette W. Chung write that “(s)urgical site infections are the leading reason for surgical readmissions.”
Here’s a breakdown of how costly those readmissions can be — regardless of the reasons. Be sure to share this infographic on your blog or website! Or copy the code below the infographic and paste it into your website.
MBA Medical
For more than 25 years, MBA Medical has been an industry leader in helping service providers handle the business side of their medical practices. We work with more than 130 clients and millions of dollars in accounts receivable every month, and we continue to evolve along with the health care industry itself.
Contact MBA Medical today with any questions. We look forward to partnering with you and finding ways in which our increasingly diverse array of business solutions can help you and your practice move forward.