Reducing Avoidable ER Visits by Medicaid Patients Through Quality-Based Interventions

Summary: An Ohio collaborative of Medicaid plans is using a rapid cycle quality improvement approach to reduce avoidable ER visits by its Medicaid beneficiaries. One of the five regions targeted by the collaborative is Toledo, Ohio --- known for having the highest emergency department utilization in the nation. Mina Chang, Ph.D., of the Bureau of Health Services Research for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, outlines the framework of the collaborative. She explains its population-based and patient-centered approach and describes some of the priority populations targeted by the collaborative's interventions. Dr. Chang described how the collaborative is developing actionable interventions to address the patient streams most likely to use the ED inappropriately during a June 23, 2011 webinar, "Reducing Avoidable ER Visits by Medicaid Patients Through Quality-Based Interventions," sponsored by The Healthcare Intelligence Network.