Tackling emergency department utilization with population health technology

How do you reduce emergency department utilization?

MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization (MHACO) is a network of 10 hospitals, 378 practice locations, and 1,600+ healthcare providers dedicated to measurably increasing quality and decreasing the cost of care for 380,000+ patients in Maine and northern New Hampshire. Their coverage area has one of the largest Emergency Department (ED) utilization rates in the country, so they launched REDUCE (Reducing ED Utilization: A Collaborative Endeavor)

MHACO utilized patient education tools, predictive analytics, and new clinical workflows to provide patients the right care at the right time.

MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization explains:

• Why it’s important to identify avoidable ED utilization as a strategic priority
• How they used predictive analytics and an enterprise clinical data warehouse to prospectively identify at-risk patients who are likely to visit the ED
• How they developed patient education tools and measured their effectiveness
• How they integrated care management with primary care to address avoidable ED utilization drivers