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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Karen Y. Boone, MN, MPH, RN, CS and C. Ann Thaxton, BA. Medical Center of Central Georgia, Hospital Box 131, 777 Hemlock Street, Macon, GA 31201, 478-633-1123, boone.karen@mccg.org
Objectives: One of the goals of the Lay Health Program at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, Georgia was to determine if expenditures for both inpatient and outpatient care of patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus could be reduced by implementing a community health education program that used Lay Health Advisors.
Methods: A comparative audit of expenditures was obtained for fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 1997. Data was obtained for clients with hypertension and/or diabetes who lived in an identified geographic area served by Lay Health Advisors. Data was obtained on patients who received either inpatient or outpatient (urgent care and emergency room) care. For the purpose of cost analysis, data was generated from patient accounts. All information obtained was validated using the Medipac hospital registration/ billing system. Only hypertension and diabetic diagnoses were tabulated. The criteria used to determine diagnosis was (1) primary diagnosis of hypertension or diabetes mellitus, (2) primary diagnosis of complication due to hypertension or diabetes mellitus. Patients were selected by using the geographic boundaries of the targeted community. A city map was used to list all streets in the targeted community.
Results: Over a two-year period, charges for patients with diagnoses of hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, from the community served by Lay Health Advisors, dropped over $230,000.
Conclusions: Hospital expenditures were reduced for patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus who lived in an area served by Lay Health Advisors.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the learner(s) shall be able to
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.