January 26, 2024- Collaborative care shortens hospital stays and improves outcomes, according to a new study from The University of Texas at Austin. This is the first study to quantify the benefits of a collaborative model in a hospital setting.
Researchers analyzed data for more than 7,000 unique patients at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s University Hospital who were discharged between June 2014 and October 2016. Because the collaborative care initiative began halfway through that period, the researchers could capture its debut and estimate its impact.
They measured length of stay, readmission rates and discharge time of day, finding statistically significant improvements in two key patient and hospital outcomes:
- A 9% decrease in the expected length of stay.
- A 27% increase in the likelihood of early discharge (before 2 p.m., which allows for bed turnover and improved patient throughput).
With rising health care costs affecting patients and providers, collaborative care has arisen as a way to manage treatment for chronic conditions by employing teams of professionals with a unified approach — rather than individual doctors and practitioners who may not interact about a patient’s care.