The care redesign plan will tackle a series of conditions, including diabetes, heart conditions, strokes and colon cancer. The plan aims to save money in the long run by keeping patients healthier through a variety of methods. For example, Partners plans to improve follow-up care and avoid hospital re-admission for heart condition patients; develop a center to identify high-risk stroke patients; and reduce laparoscopic surgery recovery times for colon cancer patients.
Partners HealthCare estimates that all patients with diabetes could save $3-$10 million every year by switching from expensive brand name pills to generic drugs when effective. Patients could also switch from pills to insulin. While the company does not expect to see short-term savings, Partners says money could be saved in the long run if patients stay healthy and avoid hospital admissions for preventable conditions.
For the plan to work, thousands of Partners physicians and nurses will have to counsel and coach patients to use insulin and switch to generic brands, according to the report.
Read the WBUR report on Partners HealthCare.
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