Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations --- United States, 2004--2007.
MMWR Surveill Summ. 2011 Jan 14;60(SU-1):80-83
Authors: Moy E, Barrett M, Ho K,
When patients seek prompt attention from primary care providers for acute illnesses (e.g., pneumonia) or worsening of chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes), hospitalization often can be avoided. Hospitalizations that better primary care could have prevented are termed "potentially preventable hospitalizations." Although not all such hospitalizations can be avoided, rates of potentially preventable hospitalizations vary; communities with poorer access to coordinated primary care tend to have higher rates of potentially preventable hospitalizations.
PMID: 21430628 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]