| Description |
The healthcare industry in the United States of America is in desperate need of change, as healthcare expenses continue to rise at an unsustainable rate. One critical component of this problem is the healthcare super utilizer, or "super user," population. Though it comprises only 10% of all patients, this population accounts for more than 65% of healthcare costs. Professionals continue to search for solutions for this specific population, and one approach is becoming increasingly attractive: population health. As research addressing high-risk, high-cost patients continues to expand, so do the population health studies highlighting intensive outpatient care models. Because research on intensive outpatient care is relatively new, the current body of information on this subject is not extensive. Existing publications are vastly different in regards to the specific super utilizer population analyzed, and the ultimate goals of the research. Nonetheless, the studies that have been conducted thus far have proved to create positive, or at least neutral, outcomes for both patients and health system finances. Moreover, studies reporting neutral outcomes are frequently supplemented with discussion about how researchers would improve their respective study designs. Though not every study was able to generate positive outcomes, none of the studies reviewed for this paper resulted in adverse effects for either its super user population or health system. In fact, many researchers stated that if their research were to be scaled up, they would expect statistically significant results for patients and providers. In addition, these researchers stressed the importance of continuing population health research, and gave their support to those who intended to further pursue intensive outpatient care as a means to address high-risk, high-cost patients. University of Utah Health will be adding to this field of research in an attempt to address its own super utilizer population. Both researchers and clinicians hope to create a positive impact on University of Utah patients by offering intensive, coordinated care with increased access to a multidisciplinary care team. Patient selection and recruitment into the Intensive Outpatient Clinic, or IOC, will be the first step in creating a successful care model. By selecting the appropriate patient population, the clinic expects to create a positive impact for both patients and the health system. Additionally, the unique composition of the IOC's multidisciplinary care team will dramatically change patients' standard of care. The coordination among these experienced providers will be an important piece in delivering effective care to these high-risk, high-cost patients. To understand the real impact of the university's strategic initiative, extensive research will need to be conducted. The Department of Population Health Sciences will utilize a quasi-experimental design to analyze the impact the IOC has on both patient reported outcomes and health system costs. By carefully documenting their methods, other researchers will be able to replicate or adjust their own studies to add to this body of work. As the IOC continues to see patients over the next several years, researchers will analyze how the clinic improves a patient's health and satisfaction over time. In addition, through the use of controls, researchers will be able to compare the outcomes of standard care, to that of the intensive outpatient care delivered within the clinic. Over time, we will observe how the Intensive Outpatient Clinic changes patient and financial outcomes for University of Utah Health, and ultimately, how it alters healthcare leaders' understanding of efficient healthcare operations. |
