Ambulatory ICU Study for Medically and Socially Complex Patients

The goal of this study is to conduct an evaluation of an "Ambulatory-ICU" model of primary care for "high utilizer" patients with medical, behavioral, and social complexity. A small proportion of patients use > 50 % of healthcare resources. It is currently unknown what interventions can help reduce inappropriate utilization due to lack of studies with rigorous study design, particularly in patients with high rates of homelessness, mental illness and substance use. The use of high-risk teams for select patients is a promising model of primary care that removes barriers to accessing usual care services by centralizing medical and behavioral clinical services, promotes ability to outreach beyond the clinic, and promote continuity of care and trust-building between patient and provider teams.

This study will test the hypothesis that a stand-alone clinic based intervention of a multidisciplinary, co-located physician, mental health behaviorist, nursing, pharmacist, and care coordinators with reduced panel size, and focus on patient capacity building and decreasing treatment burden will improve health outcomes at 6 and 12 months in a low-income high utilizer population with history of homelessness.

Enhanced usual care comprises of care delivered at Old Town Clinic (OTC) a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that is modeled on the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model. Patients have a designated primary care physician and care team with access to chronic disease education, mental health, social work, and substance abuse programs through referral system. In addition, participants thought to have difficulty engaging in primary care have access to a Health Resilience Specialist, a community health worker intervention who conducts outreach and assists the patient in care navigation.

Inclusion criteria

• One or more of the following medical diagnoses:

• congestive heart failure
• uncontrolled diabetes
• end stage liver disease
• chronic kidney disease (stage III or higher)
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (group C or D)
• chronic or severe soft tissue infections or ulcers
• osteomyelitis
• failure to thrive

And/OR:

• One or more of the following behavioral health diagnoses:

• psychotic disorder
• mood disorder
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• active substance use disorder

And/OR

• One or more of the following utilization patterns:

• 1+ medical hospital admission in prior 6 months
• frequent missed appointments (cancel or no-show for >5 primary care or specialty appointments in previous 12 months

Exclusion criteria

• Non-English speaking
• Patients on hospice, nursing home, rehabilitation, or other institutional or long term care facility
• Inability to consent (as demonstrated by teach back of the consent process)
• Diagnosis of metastatic brain cancer
• Inability to participate in follow up phone due to aphasia, severe hearing impairment, or lack of access to telephone