DATA AND ER VISITS

ASSOCIATES IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE’S

ASSESSMENT AND PLAN

IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND SEEKING SOLUTIONS • AN EXCEL SPREAD SHEET WAS CREATED. DATA WAS COLLECTED WITH

PATIENT NAME, DATE OF ER VISIT• AN ENTRY IN THE EMR WAS MADE IN A REPORTABLE FIELD. EX: ER VISIT

11/24/15 • ER VISITS WERE IDENTIFIED BY CURRENT CARE AND INCOMING FAXES FROM

FACILITIES.• OUTBOUND CALLS WERE MADE TO PATIENTS FOLLOWING AN ER VISIT

NOTIFICATION• FOLLOW UP VISITS WERE SCHEDULED, PHYSICIANS WERE NOTIFIED IF

PATIENT WAS SEEN IN THE ER DURING OFFICE HOURS WHEN SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS WERE AVAILABLE.

WHAT WE LEARNED Some high utilizers had behavioral health conditionsWe could educate our patients about when to use the ER.We have shown that we can reduce ER visitsConversations are important to identify why patients use the ER

SOME SOLUTIONSNOTIFYING PROVIDERS

AN ALERT WAS PLACED IN THE CHART FOR THE PHYSICIAN OR

NURSE PRACTITIONER TO DISCUSS FREQUENT ER VISITS WITH THE

PATIENTS.

THE INTENT WAS TO DISCUSS ER USE WITH PATIENTS THAT COULD

HAVE RECEIVED CARE IN THE OFFICE.

HAVING DISCUSSIONS

WE INVITED THE HEALTH PLANS TO COME AND DISCUSS WAYS THEY COULD HELP.

OUR DEDICATED MEDICAL ASSISTANTS CALL PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM THE

HOSPITAL OR ER AND SCHEDULES FOLLOW UP VISITS.

OUR NURSE CONTACTS THE PATIENT FOR MED REC’S AND DISCHARGE PLANS

WE STARTED AN ER COMMITTEE TO MEET TO DISCUSS SOLUTIONS

RESOURCESWE HAVE CREATED A BROCHURE

WE HAVE MORE ACCESS

WE HAVE A YOUTUBE VIDEO

HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=1XDV3IW2TMG

WE HAVE FRAMES IN OUR EXAM ROOMS