Emergency Department (ED) to Primary Care

Medical Home Referral and Retention Project

The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate for the dual purposes of ED diversion and linking low-income patients to primary care medical homes in Federally-Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

Partners:

• Center for Healthy Communities & Research, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Milwaukee Health Services Inc.
• Westside Healthcare Association, Inc.
• Health Care for the Homeless of Milwaukee, Inc.

Goals of the Program:

• An increase in the ED to medical home referrals and the referral appointment “show rate,”
• An increase in patient visits to FQHCs among the referred patients (“stick rate”),
• Improvements in health outcomes and satisfaction for referred patients based on their access to consistent quality services and care plans,
• A reduction in inappropriate ED utilization among referred patients, and the associated costs (cost avoidance).

Project period:

• July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2011

Funding Source:

• Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program

Program Contacts:

Marie Wolff

Amy Kistner