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Home health after hospitalization can decrease readmissions

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, June 29, 2011

Patients with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or congestive heart failure who receive an at-home visit after being hospitalized are less likely to return to the hospital. In fact, home healthcare after hospitalization resulted in 20,426 readmissions compared to patients with the same conditions who received other post-acute services, according to Avalere Health, LLC. As a result of the decreased number of readmissions, Medicare saved an estimated $670 million from October 2006-September 2009.

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