Published by: John Bluford on 11/21/2011 10:47:12 AM
As our population ages and unfortunately grows more obese each year, the prevalence of chronic illness continues to rise. According to studies, more than 40 percent of the U.S. population suffers from one or more chronic condition, which are causing significant increases in healthcare spending, especially among the uninsured and underinsured.
At Truman Medical Centers (TMC), we are quickly becoming leaders in chronic disease management in the Kansas City area, and we are taking some innovative steps to combat these issues.
Last year alone, TMC treated more than 56,000 out of nearly 97,000 patients for at least one of seven of the most prevalent chronic illnesses. In addition, more than 38,000 of those had more than one chronic illness.
These are startling numbers for any hospital, in any city. We believe innovative approaches must be taken if we are going to change the dangerous direction our population is heading.
One example, about 18 months ago, TMC introduced a program called Passport to Wellness. Passport was developed for our patients that we refer to as our “frequent flyers” – those people who are treated over and over again in the TMC Emergency Room and Inpatient settings.
TMC is taking some creative actions to help these patients and their families make lifestyle changes that will in turn help them better manage their health, resulting in fewer hospital visits. The results have been truly phenomenal:
- Our Sickle Cell readmission rate has been reduced by 26 percent.
- Our asthma patients in this program has experienced a collective 25 percent reduction in patient days and their ED visits have been reduced by 217 days or 23 percent.
Through education and a coached approach to lifestyle changes, a team of health professionals is helping patients to better understand their illness, teach them firsthand how to manage it, and guide them to becoming their own advocate in managing their diseases. The care team also works to remove barriers that prevent them from following through, like transportation problems, preparing for appointments, or general health literacy.
This is just a one “out of the box” ideas – or should I say “out of the bed” ideas -- that help make a difference in the well-being of our community.
To affect truly sustainable change – whether inside our hospitals or throughout our communities, we have to anticipate the next move in healthcare and put into place the mechanisms necessary to measure whether what we are doing is the right method. Until we reduce the number of patients facing a chronic illness, our costs will continue to rise and the overall health of our community will continue to decline.
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Mr. John W. Blurford, III
President and Chief Executive Officer
Truman Medical Centers
Kansas City, MO