Patient-Centered Medical Homes Generate Fewer, Cheaper ED Visits

Medicare patients being treated in patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) had fewer ED visits than patients not cared for in a PCMH, according to a recent study of primary care practices, federally qualified health centers, and Medicare fee-for-service data.

In 2009 and 2010, Medicare patients from National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)-recognized PCMHs experienced slower growth in both all-cause and ambulatory-care-sensitive condition emergency department (ED) visits per 100 beneficiaries than those from non-PCMH practices. "The rate of growth in all-cause and ambulatory-care-sensitive condition ED visits per 100 beneficiaries was 13 and eight visits fewer for 2009 patient-centered medical homes and 12 and seven visits fewer for 2010 patient-centered medical homes, respectively," reported Jesse M. Pines, MD, MBA, departments of emergency medicine and health policy at George Washington University in Washington D.C., and colleagues.