Costs, unnecessary care continue to fall even after program ends.

By Aine Cryts

Can help reduce preventable emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, according a recent study publishedin Health Affairs.

Case in point: Since 2009, Torrance, California-based Healthcare Partners Affiliates Medical Group has provided its House Calls program to recently discharged high-risk, frail and psychosocially compromised patients.

House Calls sends providers into patients

‘Homes to provide, coordinate and manage care for the medical group’s Medicare Advantage and commercially insured HMO patients.

After being involved with the program for three months, patients were admitted to the hospital less often–and per-month utilization and spending continued to decrease, even six months after patients left the program.