Fierce Healthcare December 4, 2019
Access to specialty care could reduce preventable hospitalizations and mortality among rural Medicare patients, according to a new study.
Patients in rural areas experience higher preventable hospitalization and mortality rates than those in urban areas and new study suggests a lack of access to specialists could be the main culprit.
Published in the latest edition of Health Affairs, researchers found higher rates of preventable hospitalization and mortality among rural Medicare patients suffering from chronic illness. They also found that access to specialists is associated with lower hospitalization and mortality rates for these patients.
Taken together, these findings suggest access to specialty care is a logical area for policymakers to target in their ongoing attempts to reduce disparities in care experienced...
Today's Sponsors
Today's Sponsor