Researchers at Denver Health Medical Center conducted a study to learn how to best reduce healthcare costs among super-utilizers. The study consisted of a cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of 4,774 publicly insured or uninsured super-utilizers at Denver Health between 2011 and 2013.
Here are five facts:
1. At any time, 3 percent of the adult patients at Denver Health meet the super-utilizer criteria. This cohort accounts for 30 percent of healthcare costs.
2. The study revealed the super-utilizers are not the same patients over time, with any super-utilizers having high usage episodes that are relatively short in duration.
3. Nearly 25 percent of the patients remain high utilizing a year later.
4. Healthcare professionals have utilized the in-depth analyses of the patients in the study to implement unique population health services aimed to fulfill tailored to their specific health and social risk profiles.
5. Denver Health will establish a new primary care clinic that exclusively focuses on medically complex adult in addition to adding new staff for follow up on hospitalizations and help support patients needing ongoing care.
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