Healthcare organizations across the country are navigating a difficult financial reality.

Operating costs continue to rise while hospitals and health clinics face increasing pressure to improve outcomes, reduce avoidable utilization, and deliver more efficient care.

From staffing expenses to medical supplies and chronic disease management, the cost of healthcare continues climbing — and many health systems are searching for sustainable solutions.

One of the most effective strategies may start outside the hospital walls.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) help healthcare organizations reduce avoidable costs by connecting patients to preventive care, community resources, and ongoing support before health challenges become crises.

Rising Costs Are Reshaping Healthcare

 

Recent nonprofit and healthcare surveys show organizations continue to experience increased operational costs across nearly every area of service delivery.

Healthcare systems are also managing rising expenses tied to:

• Medical supplies
• Prescriptions
• Emergency department utilization
• Hospital readmissions
• Chronic disease complications
• Staffing shortages and overtime

At the same time, many patients face growing barriers to accessing care consistently and affordably.

When patients delay care or struggle to manage chronic conditions, healthcare systems often see higher rates of:

• Emergency department visits
• Preventable hospitalizations
• Missed appointments
• Medication nonadherence
• Poor long-term health outcomes

These challenges create both financial and operational strain.

CHWs Help Prevent Costly Gaps in Care

Community Health Workers help patients navigate healthcare systems more effectively while addressing barriers that can contribute to avoidable healthcare utilization.

CHWs often support patients by:

• Connecting them to existing community resources
• Helping coordinate appointments and follow-up care
• Providing person-centered health education
• Assisting with medication understanding
• Supporting chronic disease self-management
• Helping patients access transportation, food, housing, or financial assistance resources

By helping patients stay engaged in care earlier and more consistently, CHWs can help reduce costly downstream complications.

This approach benefits both patients and healthcare systems.

Smarter, Community-Based Care

Many healthcare costs are driven not only by medical treatment itself, but also by the challenges patients face managing care outside clinical settings.

Patients may struggle with:

• Understanding discharge instructions
• Navigating insurance systems
• Accessing transportation
• Using digital health tools
• Managing multiple chronic conditions
• Finding affordable services and support

CHWs serve as trusted guides who help patients navigate these challenges while strengthening communication between providers and communities.

This kind of proactive support can improve care coordination and reduce unnecessary utilization.

Investing in Long-Term Sustainability

As healthcare organizations continue shifting toward value-based care models, prevention and community-based support are becoming increasingly important.

Hospitals and health systems are recognizing that improving outcomes often requires addressing social and behavioral factors that influence health long before a patient enters the emergency department.

CHWs play an important role in this work by helping patients access care earlier, stay connected to services, and manage health needs more effectively.

The result is a more coordinated, patient-centered approach that supports healthier communities while helping organizations manage rising operational costs.

Looking Ahead

Healthcare systems are under growing pressure to improve efficiency without sacrificing patient care.

Community Health Workers offer a practical, evidence-based strategy for reducing avoidable costs while strengthening patient support and engagement.

At MHP Salud, we work with organizations to strengthen CHW workforce development and build sustainable programs that improve care coordination, patient outcomes, and community health. If you’re ready to strengthen your workforce, email us today at info@mhpsalud.org.

References

1. American Hospital Association – Costs of Caring
2. PMC – Integrating Community Health Workers Into Health Systems
3. Harvard Gazette – CHW Intervention Reduces Hospital Readmissions

For many hospitals, the work doesn’t end when a patient leaves the building.

Some of the most important factors affecting health outcomes happen after discharge, when patients try to navigate medications, follow-up appointments, transportation challenges, and recovery at home.

Without adequate support, patients are more likely to experience complications that can lead to preventable hospital readmissions.

These readmissions are costly for both patients and healthcare systems.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are helping hospitals improve transitions of care by providing trusted, community-based support that keeps patients connected, informed, and engaged after discharge.

The High Cost of Readmissions

Hospital readmissions remain a major challenge across healthcare.

The average cost of a single hospital readmission can reach thousands of dollars, while frequent readmissions can negatively affect both patient outcomes and organizational performance metrics.

Patients recovering from hospitalization may face barriers such as:

• Difficulty understanding discharge instructions
• Limited access to transportation
• Challenges obtaining medications
• Food or housing insecurity
• Lack of social support
• Confusion navigating follow-up care

Even when high-quality clinical care is provided during hospitalization, patients can still struggle once they return home.

CHWs Help Bridge the Gap

Community Health Workers help patients navigate the transition from hospital to home by providing practical, person-centered support.

CHWs often assist patients with:

• Understanding care plans
• Scheduling and attending follow-up appointments
• Medication education and adherence
• Accessing community resources
• Addressing barriers related to transportation or technology
• Providing ongoing encouragement and support

Because CHWs are trusted members of the communities they serve, they can build relationships that improve communication and patient engagement.

This support can make a significant difference in helping patients successfully manage recovery after discharge.

Evidence Shows Strong Results

Research continues to demonstrate the impact CHWs can have on reducing readmissions and improving outcomes.

In a Massachusetts General Hospital clinical trial highlighted by Harvard University, patients paired with Community Health Workers were significantly less likely to experience 30-day hospital readmissions compared to patients who did not receive CHW support.

The study showed that personalized guidance, trust-building, and community-based support helped patients better navigate recovery and ongoing care needs.

For healthcare systems, these improvements support both patient well-being and broader organizational goals tied to quality outcomes and value-based care.

Improving Outcomes Beyond the Hospital

Reducing readmissions requires more than discharge paperwork and follow-up calls.

Patients often need support navigating the real-world challenges that affect their ability to recover and stay healthy.

CHWs help healthcare organizations extend care beyond clinical walls by creating stronger connections between hospitals, patients, and communities.

This approach supports:

• Better chronic disease management
• Improved preventive care
• Stronger patient engagement
• Increased care continuity
• Reduced avoidable utilization

A More Connected Future for Healthcare

As hospitals work to improve outcomes while managing financial and staffing pressures, Community Health Workers offer a proven strategy for strengthening transitions of care.

By helping patients stay connected and supported after discharge, CHWs contribute to healthier communities and more sustainable healthcare systems.

At MHP Salud, we support organizations through CHW workforce development, training, and strategies that strengthen patient-centered care and improve long-term outcomes. If you’re ready to strengthen your workforce, email us today at info@mhpsalud.org.

 

References

1. Harvard Gazette – Community Health Worker Intervention Reduces Hospital Readmissions
2. PMC – Integrating Community Health Workers Into Health Systems