Primary care practices operating as medical homes in southeastern Pennsylvania reduced hospital costs by 44 percent over three years for diabetic patients, according to an Independence Blue Cross study.
IBC conducted a series of studies examining a subset of 125,000 individuals receiving primary care in 160 medical home practices in southeastern Pennsylvania from 2008 to 2012. The studies revealed that primary care practices that transformed to patient-centered medical homes, characterized by a team approach and coordinated care, lowered costs for patients with chronic conditions such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and hypertension. For example, total medical costs for diabetic members treated in PCMHs decreased 21 percent, largely due to a 44 percent decrease in hospital costs, according to the news release.
In addition, patients with chronic conditions treated in PCMHs received necessary screenings and tests more often than patients who were not treated in PCMHs, according to the news release. "Specifically, the gaps in care for patients in medical homes for cancer screenings were half that for patients in other primary care settings," the release stated. These results are supported by findings from Pennsylvania's pilot medical home program, the Chronic Care Initiative, which showed a 60 percent increase in control of bad cholesterol among diabetic patients and a 45 percent decrease in the number of patients with poorly controlled diabetes, according to the release.
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