Creating a medical home through the 340B Drug pricing program

Objective: This study was designed to track inpatient and outpatient utilization before and after the implementation of the 340B Drug Pricing Program in a public university hospital. Methods: Before and after design built upon administrative clinical and financial data. Results: Outpatient and emergency departmentutilization rates increased with small increments of direct cost. Inpatient utilization decreased while inpatient length of stay increased with over three million dollars in direct cost savings. Conclusions: Improving continuity of care for patients without a usual source of care may have the effect of creating a "medical home." The 340B Drug Pricing Program may be one policy tool to improve care for the underserved while increasing outpatient utilization and decreasing inpatient utilization and costs.