A stroke two months ago nearly cost Keith Auman his life.
Auman, 56, of High Point, is on the road to recovery, though it will likely be about a year before he can return to work.
After being treated for three weeks at Forsyth Medical Center, part of Auman's rehabilitation effort brought him back Wednesday to the hospital's Stroke Bridge clinic. There, Auman is working on his balance and memory and regaining his strength.
"It's very frustrating to be where I am now because I'm used to being very athletic," Auman said. He said he had no symptoms before the stroke on April 3.
"My memory is tanked. I have to look up everything," Auman said.
"Yet, I'm hopeful that over time this clinic will help get me back to normal health and keep me from having to go through this ever again."
The clinic and a similar effort at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center represent a piece of the changing health care environment as hospitals nationwide transition to a preventive care model being driven by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Medicare plans to provide lower payments to health care systems with rates worse than the national average for readmission and infection and other categories.
However, systems would receive higher Medicare payments for measurably improving and maintaining the health of the populations they serve.
Liz Sweeney, a health care analyst with Standard and Poor's, said the shift from a fee-for-service business model to one focused on preventive measures and reducing unnecessary care likely will bring fewer federal and state reimbursement dollars.
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Stroke clinic aims at prevention