Super-utilization interventions - failing or evolving in complex
systems? Part 1. A snapshot and scoping review of the literature
Abstract
Introduction: Super-utilization (frequent acute hospital care use or
frequent emergency department (ED) utilization and readmissions)
describes high rates of emergency department visits and hospital
admissions by some individuals. A large empirical literature which has
not shown significant improvements over the past 12 years. Reducing
healthcare costs per capita have focussed on Super-utilization, system
transformation, and care management. The complex dynamics systems
driving Super-utilization lack prominence. Aims: The review aims to
uncover essential frameworks and articles to interrogate the mindset of
Super-utilization and its evolution to illuminate current understandings
and prevailing themes. Methods: Utilizing primary articles, search terms
were refined iteratively for searches on Super-utilization,
Super-utilizer, and Care Management themes. Articles were intentionally
chosen to illustrate primary themes. The review included the most recent
and relevant articles to provide a narrative of the diverse set of
taxonomies related to Super-utilization Findings: Common to all 4
searches were utilization outcome measures. Care Management was the
second common theme. Needs were the lowest frequency in
Super-utilization 8% compared with Superutilizers 20% and Care
Management 24-25% searches. Systematic reviews and key studies
demonstrated limited success of care management, including system
transformation from health into social care. Centralised policies such
as the Triple Aim have inherent polarities. Health services must contain
costs and meet felt needs that emerge from under resourced personal
journeys and underserved communities. Conclusion: Super-utilization is
an expanding concern within academic literature. Efforts to reduce
frequent and multi-dimensional acute care presentations using current
care models appear ineffective. The predominant focus on utilization and
costs, wedded to a care management model, has diverted attention from
taking both a more needs-centred and a broader complex systems
perspective on Super-utilization. Distributive justice asks whether
social funding should be increased in preference to expanding current
health spending.