CASE MANAGEMENT, MOBILE HEALTH CARE AND PERMANENT HOUSING: INCORPORATING PRE AND POST HOSPITAL CARE TO PREVENT FREQUENT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS

Abstract

The use of emergency departments (ED) has increased over the years as more individuals have begun to use the ED services in place of primary care offices and urgent cares. With an increase in ED utilization, there is a higher cost to the hospital as well as an increased chance of overcrowding. This can also have a negative effect on patient care. Individuals who utilize an ED four or more times in a year are considered frequent users. To combat the amount of frequent ED users, programs have been implemented within hospitals across the United States; specifically, case management, mobile health care and permanent housing programs. Information was collected through a literature search utilizing relevant databases and keywords to find and analyze papers on case management, mobile health care and permanent housing programs and their effectiveness at preventing frequent ED use and the costs associated with it. Overall, there was a positive correlation with the programs and decreasing the amount of times an individual frequented the ED.