Impact of the Home-based Medical Integrated Program on Health Outcomes and Medical Resource Utilization in Taiwan

Abstract

Abstract Background The home-based medical integrated program (HMIP) is a novel model for home healthcare (HHC) in Taiwan, initiated in 2016 to enhance care quality. However, the outcomes of this program remain unclear. Thus, we conducted this study to clarify it. Methods We utilized the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to identify HHC patients who received HMIP and those who did not between January 2015 and December 2017. A comparison was made between the two groups in terms of outcomes over a one-year follow-up period. Results A total of 4,982 HHC patients in the HMIP group and 10,447 patients in the non-HMIP group were identified for this study. The mean age in the HMIP group and non-HMIP group was 77.6 years and 76.1 years, respectively. Compared with the non-HMIP group, the HMIP group had lower total medical costs for HHC, fewer outpatient department visits and lower medical costs, lower medical costs for emergency department visits, fewer hospitalizations, and a lower mortality rate (34.6% vs. 41.2%, p < 0.001). Conclusion The HMIP is a promising model for improving care quality and reducing medical resource utilization in HHC patients. While this suggests that the non-HMIP model should be replaced, it’s important to note that both non-HMIP and HMIP models currently coexist. The HMIP may serve as an important reference for other nations seeking to improve care quality and reduce medical resource utilization in their own HHC systems.