A care coordination program in Oregon reduced emergency department visits 70 percent in eight months, according to The Lund Report.
The pilot program, called the Community Care Connection Network, uses patient navigators and technology to connect patients with community health resources. The program is modeled on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Pathways Community HUB model of using patient navigators to help patients access the healthcare and social services they need.
The c3 Network was developed by Project Access NOW, Familias en Accion and Impact NW, and includes nearly 200 patients insured by the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool who have high ED visit or inpatient stay rates or who have complex, chronic health conditions. Navigators partner with healthcare providers to educate and support patients as they manage their health and help them find the appropriate provider, according to the report.
In eight months, annual ED visits have decreased 70 percent and inpatient hospitalization days have decreased 87 percent, according to the report.
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