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Study reveals uneven care and costs across United States

Case Management Weekly, August 2, 2006

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More care doesn't always equal better care. In fact, according to a nationwide project completed by the Center for Evaluative Clinical Sciences at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, it's quality, not quantity that produces consistent excellence in the healthcare system.

The study also found that geography plays a large role in healthcare. Patients in low-cost regions, such as Salt Lake City, UT, spend less time in intensive care units and make fewer trips to the hospital. The number of hospitalized days during a patient's last six months of life (12.9 in Rochester, MN, compared to 23.9 in New York) shows the disparity, but study experts stress that facilities in the low-cost regions are simply being more efficient and are not withholding care.

The study concluded that Medicare spending for chronically ill patients could be reduced by as much as 30%, while improving a patient's experience in terms of satisfaction and outcome.

Source: Boston.com; Manchester Union-Leader; Dartmouth Atlas

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