More Family Physicians Could Mean Lower Readmissions

Adding family physicians could lower 30-day readmission rates related to pneumonia, heart attack and heart failure, say Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center researchers in a new report in the current American Family Physician.

Using data from the Hospital Compare database, the researchers calculated that by adding at least one family physician per 1,000 population, readmission rates could be reduced for pneumonia by 7 percent, heart attacks by 5 percent, and heart failure by 8 percent. These are these same conditions used by the Department of Health and Humans Services to evaluate readmissions.

Currently, 33 family physicians are available per 100,000 population. Increasing that number to 46 family practitioners could reduce readmission costs by $81 million per year for those three condition, according to the research prepared for the Robert Graham Center, a primary care think tank.

If the number of family physicians increased by 100 per 100,000 population, costs would decline by $579 million per year--or 83 percent of the $710 million target established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the researchers said.