Health care reform intended to address the massive costs of American patient care could have a great deal of work ahead. Practicing preventative medicine is vital to the nation's well-being, yet America doesn't appear to be proficient in that regard. According to a 2009 study by the New England Journal of Medicine, one-fifth of Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. After 90 days, that percentage climbs to 34 percent. What is maybe most disturbing is that after a year, two-thirds of patients are back in the hospital or dead. Article resource - Patient re-admission is as common as it is costly by Newystype.com.

Re-admission is taxing U.S. healthcare

The Huffington Post reports that Medicare cost taxpayers $17.4 billion in 2004. That money black hole forced Medicare to start paying closer attention to which hospitals had the highest bounce-back rate of re-admission. Those hospitals with the greatest occurrence of re-admission faced economic sanctions. The waste even spawned a new industry where private companies would analyze those hospitals in need of change. These efficiency experts no doubt have numerous clients, as surveys show that 75 percent of re-admits are avoidable if proper care is given in the first place.

Playing the blame game

Re-admission, according to industry experts, is most likely due to communication breakdowns between hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Not providing enough patient and medication info, neglecting follow-up appointments and providing confusing or contradictory patient care instructions are just some of the major problems America's health care system faces, writes the Post. The problem grows considerably for those Medicaid patients who are older and are shuttled between general and intensive care facilities.

Insurance companies and Medicare frequently display short-sightedness

The American Geriatric Society found in a recent study that Medicare and insurance companies prefer to recommend skilled nursing facilities over inpatient rehab for stroke victims, reports the Post. Lower original cost is the reason, but what the insurers fail to see is the significance of a re-admit rate that is seven times higher in the skilled nursing option. Medicare and private insurance businesses must learn to see beyond the low original cost, because it will likely conserve millions, say critics.

Get the answers you need

Left to their own devices, medical facilities will work to move patients out of care as easily as possible. This is why it is vitally essential that patients (Medicare or otherwise) and their loved ones question doctors concerning the risk of re-admission, and for making sure they understand the necessary care going forward. See the Huffington Post article below for more specific info on what questions to ask your doctor.

Additional reading

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/richard-c-senelick-md/the-bounce-back-effect-ho_b_677575.html