Coordinated Care Organization Progress Data Shows Continued Reduction in Emergency Department Visits, Lower Costs

Oregon‘s fourth Health System Transformation report indicates that the coordinated care model is continuing to improve key areas of care for Oregon’s Medicaid population, while keeping costs down. The report released today shows coordinated care organization (CCO) progress for the first nine months of 2013 on key performance and cost measurements.

“Emergency department visits and spending are decreasing under the coordinated care model,” said Tina Edlund, acting OHA Director. Measurements indicate Oregon’s CCOs are lowering unnecessary hospitalizations for conditions that can better be treated elsewhere. “There are also reductions in hospital readmissions, largely due to community efforts to achieve the highest quality care and to keep people at their healthiest,” she said.

At the same time emergency department use is decreasing, primary care use is increasing. As hospitalizations are decreasing in key areas, Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members are receiving better and more appropriate care in the right place, at the right time. Patient-centered primary care enrollment, a key element of coordinated care, is also showing continued improvement.

This report also points to improvements in early developmental screenings. The percentage of children 36 months of age or younger who were screened for the risk of developmental, behavioral and social delays increased from a 2011 baseline of 21 percent, up to 32 percent in the first nine months of 2013. By identifying and addressing a child’s needs early, this transformational work leads to better health outcomes, reduced costs, and improved learning in these critical early years.