Study: Fewer patients returning to hospitals
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Posted: 08/02/2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio home health care providers have been able to cut the number of patients returning to the hospital after being released.
An Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice study says that number has been reduced by 6 percent over the past 18 months.
Patients re-admitted to the hospital within 30 days of release are considered to be among the leading causes of rising health-care costs.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that if hospital re-admissions of home-care patients were reduced by 23 percent to 29 percent, it could save $68 million a year in tax-funded health-care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
More than 70 home-care agencies participated in the initiative launched in January 2011.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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