A just released report finds that Orlando-based Grace Medical Home – a privately funded medical facility serving low-income, uninsured people – is proving not only to be financially beneficial to the Central Florida community, but as well, leading to a significant reduction in hospital patients and visits and more appropriate use of emergency departments.
First conceived as a place where everyone could receive top-notch primary healthcare services no matter what their financial status, Grace Medical Home has been in existence for more than two years and has garnered the support from thousands in the community, including Orlando’s top hospital executives.
The new data released by both Florida Hospital and Orlando Health, which was compiled by a third-party vendor, shows a real savings of more than half a million dollars to local hospital systems, a steep reduction in hospital patients and visits, and more effective emergency department (ED) usage in reductions of primary care services or non-acute visits, especially for chronic illnesses. The analysis was conducted on patients who had one or more visits to either hospital within one year before enrolling as a patient of Grace Medical Home, which represents about one-third of the enrolled patients at Grace.
“We always knew in our hearts that our involvement with Grace was the right thing to do,” said Sherrie Sitarik, CEO and president of Orlando Health and Grace Medical Home Board Member. “But now with more than two years of operating data to reflect upon, its more apparent than ever the importance that Grace plays in our community, not only for the money savings it provides to our hospital systems, but to the well-being and overall health improvement of these patients.
Some of the reports highlights, include:
· A dramatic reduction – more than 80% – in non-acute/low severity visits to the hospitals, indicating more appropriate ED use after becoming a patient of Grace.
· Thanks to the reductions that occurred while the sample population were patients of Grace, patient visits have amounted to an overall hospital cost savings of $513,985 – a cost that is often passed onto the community because the patients cannot afford to pay for their care.
· 57% reduction of hospital patients. The majority of Grace patients within the analysis parameters have not returned to the hospital since becoming patients of Grace, where they are now seen for primary and specialty care.
· 53% reduction of hospital visits. Of those Grace patients who did make trips to the hospital, and most often to the ED, those visits were reduced post-Grace by nearly half.
Grace Medical Home is located at 51 Pennsylvania Street, Orlando, Florida 32806. For more information visit: gracemedicalhome.org.
