Many adults living with more than one chronic condition experience gaps in their care as they receive treatment across multiple providers, including ED (emergency department) clinicians, primary care physicians, and other specialists.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 1 in 4 adults has multiple chronic conditions. Additionally, about 3 in 4 adults 65 and over have more than one chronic condition.
Medicare Beneficiaries with Multiple Chronic Conditions
| Number of Chronic Conditions | Percentage of Beneficiaries |
| 2-3 | 30.1% |
| 4-5 | 20.9% |
| 6 or more | 14.5% |
| Note. Data from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). 2014. “Multiple Chronic Conditions.” Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Chronic-Conditions/MCC_Main.html |
Many hospitals and ED providers fail to send medical records to outpatient providers after discharge. This gap in care coordination after an ED visit can result in adverse outcomes in patients with multiple chronic conditions.
According to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Medicare beneficiaries are at a higher risk after an ED visit due to overall body function, multiple medication use, and audio and/or visual impairments. In turn, this can increase the likelihood of readmission and death. A study from the Annals of Emergency Medicine found older adults showed an average mortality rate of 10% and ED readmission rate of 24% after an ED discharge.
NCQA also found many adults with multiple chronic conditions do not have a follow-up service from their healthcare providers within 7 days of an ED discharge. In 2020, about 57.2% of Medicare HMO beneficiaries and 59.6% of Medicare PPO beneficiaries had a follow-up after an ED visit.
To prevent readmission and other health complications after discharge, proper communication and coordination between providers is crucial. Bamboo Health’s Pings solution notifies a patient’s primary care physician of a care event, such as an ED visit, in real time. From there, physicians can communicate with their patient in a timely manner to schedule necessary follow-up visits to possibly prevent hospital readmission and other complications.
Pings patient notifications can help ED providers, primary care physicians, and chronic condition specialists stay informed about their patients’ health and in turn, improve overall patient outcomes. By connecting the entire care team, providers can better support whole person care for their patients managing multiple chronic conditions.
To learn more about Pings and how it can help your organization, click here.
