What You Need to Know About Extensivist Medicine

Extensivist medicine is a new branch of medicine that deals with care for patients outside the hospital setting. Healthcare practitioners who specialize on this field are called medical extensivists. They are healthcare providers who extends their practice beyond the hospital setting. They are the go-to people of patients who have been hospitalized due to surgery or injury and who have impairments. They help these patients cope with their condition until they are capable of doing things on their own.

The medical extensivist makes sure that people with chronic diseases keep their health at home or any setting outside the hospital and avoid readmission. He/she does it by doing regular patient visits, doing follow ups, and working with patients and the hospital to come up with a plan of care specific for the patient's condition. 

Medical extnsivists do not work on their own. They work with the care coordination team of the hospital to determine the best way to maintain the patient's health. The coordinate care team evaluates the patient's admission, discusses the patient's current condition and needs, coordinates patient care, plans the patient's discharge, and arranges for follow-up care.  

Benefits of Working with Medical Extensivist

Working with medical extensivists provides several benefits; one of which is health maintenance. These board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners work hand-in-hand with the patient to make sure that one still gets the medical services and therapy even after they been discharged. This continuity of care plays a crucial role in reducing cases of re-admission.

Another benefit of working with medical extensivists is assistance. These people creates a care plan that helps patients regain their strength and health so they can do things on their own at the shortest time possible. The care plan also aims to reduce their stay at the rehabilitation center. 

Cases of Patient Re-admissions

There are several reasons why patients are re-admitted. In a report released by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), over 50% of re-admission cases are Medicare patients. Cases for re-admission of these patients in 2011 are due to the following: congestive heart failure, septicemia, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis, and cardiac dysrhythmias. 

Uninsured patients accounted for about 4% of re-admission cases. These patients are often re-admitted due to the following reasons: mood disorders, alcohol-related disorders, diabetes mellitus and complications, pancreatic disorders, and skin and subcutaneous tissue infections. 

In another study, it was revealed that patients who have gone a surgical procedure are often admitted due to post-discharge complications. This suggests coming up with policies that penalize hospitals for surgical re-admissions. 

Extensivist Medicine is a relatively new area of medicine focusing on high risk patients. AnExtensivist Physician is an Internist or FamilyMedicine Physician who provides comprehensive and coordinated care to patients with multiple complex medical issues.