These days everyone has their reasons for wanting to reduce medical costs. Hospitals want to run more productively, insurance companies more profitably, and patients want to minimize their out-of-pocket costs as much as possible.
When I was hospitalized in November 2011 due to my moderate stroke, Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California, couldn’t get me out of their hospital fast enough. The case manager knew I lived alone, yet insisted it was time to go. That I couldn’t stand, even with the help of a walker, apparently didn’t count for much.
Lisa advocated for me immediately, telling the case manager she would report her ((which she did when the case manager later admitted I never received an OT (occupational therapy) evaluation to determine how safely I could perform basic life skills at home.)) The case manager kept emphasizing Medicare would likely deny my claim if I stayed at Los Robles longer. Lisa kept a record, and took photographs, documenting my condition. When it became obvious to the hospital staff I wasn’t going anywhere because Lisa was staying with me, the hospital staff backed off and I was allowed to stay until I was truly stable enough to be moved to a rehabilitation facility. Medicare never questioned the hospital bill, so Lisa’s records weren’t needed to appeal.
That experience so enraged Lisa (and confused me; I was too weak to fight) that she embarked upon designing an innovative hospital discharge program that provides extra care to high-risk patients. In a step-by-step guide, designed for hospital discharge staffs and patients (along with their caregivers) SOUL SHERPA’s “Extra Care” Hospital Discharge Program has been designed to keep patients safe and medical costs down. What’s the sense in being pushed out the door, only to suffer a setback and need to be hospitalized again?
If anyone is interested in receiving a complimentary copy of this guide, go to our Contact Page. You will find our mailing address, email, and telephone number. Request a copy, either by mail or email. Be proactive! There’s nothing to stop you from advocating for yourself or people you care for. In this era of changing medical care, SOUL SHERPA encourages you to be informed and assertive when it comes to protecting yourself in and out of the hospital. Not only will you be safer, but everyone will save by reducing unnecessary costs.
