Medicare patients who received navigation services had a 30-day readmission rate 4 percent lower than those who did not receive navigation services, according to the results of The Center for Health Affairs' patient navigation pilot program implemented at Lakewood (Ohio) Hospital.
During the program one full-time lay navigator became a member of the interdisciplinary team at Lakewood Hospital's emergency department. The results of the program were presented at the Case Management Society of America 2014 Conference and Expo.
Here are four key results:
• Of the 1,531 patients who worked with the Patient Navigator, only 3.16 percent were readmitted.
• Self-pay patients receiving navigation services demonstrated a revisit rate 5 percent lower than those who did not receive navigation services.
• The 4 percent difference in Medicare 30-day readmission saved the hospital a minimum of $29,702 over a six-month period.
• The 5 percent difference in self-pay revisits equated to a savings of $127,102 over a six-month period.
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