Effects of Intensive Outpatient Integrative Medicine on Health Care Utilization on High Utilizer Patients at a Major Academic Health System

Abstract

Objective:

To determine if integrative medicine (IM) involvement can reduce acute care utilization for patients with complex medical conditions and high health care utilization.

Design:

Prospective single-center cohort study.

Interventions:

Twenty-nine complex high utilizer patients were treated by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) East-West Extensivist IM specialty clinic with acupuncture, trigger point injections, and Traditional Chinese Medicine dietary modifications. Number of hospitalizations, hospitalization days, and emergency room visits were tracked for 6 months.

Results:

There was a statistically significant decrease in number of hospitalizations (−31.4%, p = 0.021) and hospitalization days (−38.0%, p = 0.038) after 6 months. Subgroup analysis suggested greater improvement with more frequent visits.

Conclusion:

IM specialty care correlates with reduced hospitalization frequency and total hospitalization days among high utilizers of care.