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An alternative health delivery system for the chronically ill elderly
Prevention in Human Services
|March 6, 1984
Summary
Project OPEN improved care for chronically ill elderly patients by providing integrated health and social services. This approach maintained function, reduced hospitalizations, and cut healthcare costs by 20%.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Services Research
- Public Health
Background:
- The current healthcare system is fragmented, uncoordinated, and costly for chronically ill elderly individuals.
- There is a need for alternative delivery systems to improve care efficiency and reduce expenditures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of Project OPEN, an alternative healthcare delivery system.
- To determine if integrated preventive health and social services reduce costs and improve care for the elderly.
Main Methods:
- A randomized time series experiment involving 338 elderly individuals.
- Data collection included client functional status, service utilization, and healthcare costs over six months.
Main Results:
- Participants in Project OPEN maintained functional levels.
- A decrease in acute hospitalizations was observed in the demonstration group.
- A 20% reduction in healthcare costs was achieved for participants compared to the control group.
Conclusions:
- Project OPEN offers a more effective care model for the chronically ill elderly.
- Integrated health and social services can significantly reduce healthcare expenditures.