Study: 1 in 3 adults discharged from hospitals does not see doc within 30 days

A new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) found that one in three adult patients discharged from a hospital does not see a physician within 30 days (Source: “One-third of adults don't see a doctor within 30 days of a hospital discharge,” Health Care Finance News, Dec. 8, 2011).

The study, which used 2000-2008 data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) also found that even 90 days after discharge, 17.6 percent still had not seen a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assist.

The report concludes that the number have serious potential implications on not only the health of patients but all overall health costs because those who do not receive adequate transitional care are at higher risk to be face an avoidable hospital readmission.

“Once patients leave the hospital, the system breaks down, and it breaks down for some of the sickest patients who need follow-up care the most, people who are at high risk of readmission because they have disabilities or are managing multiple chronic conditions,” said HSC Senior Researcher Anna Sommers, PhD, coauthor of the study.

The study was released just two weeks after two Ohio sites were selected by the federal Department of Health and Human Services'Partnership for Patients program for its community-based care transition program (for more details, see Nov. 18 Ohio Health Policy Review story).