Reimagining emergency medicine: How to integrate care for the acutely ill and injured

Acute, unscheduled care is medical care for the ill and injured that may take place in the emergency department, urgent care centers, or retail clinics. While the U.S.’s acute care system is well-equipped to deliver first-class emergency care for conditions such as trauma, stroke, and heart attack, it often does not lay out a clear path for appropriate follow-up, care management, health maintenance, or social services that may be required long after a hospital discharge. Further, the predominant fee-for-service payment system does not reimburse many services—such as patient education and care coordination—that could support integration of these efforts.

On May 6, the Richard Merkin Initiative on Payment Reform and Clinical Leadership convened medical and health policy experts to examine strategies that reduce these system inefficiencies while preserving the best features of emergency medicine. Panelists explored how the existing acute care system can build and sustain new programs to enhance value, reduce costs, and improve care delivery.

Download event case studies:

• Kaiser Permanente California (KP): A Model for Integrated Care for the Ill and Injured 
• University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health (UM-UCH): Increased Value Under a Fixed Hospital Budget
• Washington State Medicaid: Implementation and Impact of “ER is for Emergencies” Program

 Follow the conversation at @BrookingsMed or #MEDTalk.