The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has reported 4.4 million preventable readmissions occur every year, and in response federal government officials, hospitals and health insurers are working together to address that, according to a Wall Street Journal news report.
Preventable readmissions also account for more than $30 billion in healthcare spending. To address this, Medicare announced in April it would allocate $500 million to organizations and hospitals that partner on pilot programs to cut preventable readmissions. Meanwhile, the government is also funding hospitals to adopt Project RED, a program developed by Boston University researchers that helped slash preventable readmission by 30 percent in 2008 at Boston University Medical Center.
Project RED involves assigning every patient a discharge nurse, who is responsible for explaining their diagnosis, post-discharge instructions and arrange follow-up examinations. The nurse then asks the patients to explain their instructions in their own words. Two days after discharge, the nurse follows up with a phone call to the patient to resolve any issues. Individualized instruction booklets are also sent to patients' physicians.
Another study at Boston University Medical Center featured a virtual nurse named Louise, who talks patients through their discharge information. This way, patients fully understand their post-discharge instructions and how to handle any complications after they've left the hospital. It also allows patients to review the information if it needs to be repeated. It is sometimes lack of understanding post-discharge information that leads to preventable readmissions, according to the news report. Other causes include failure to attend follow-up appointments or drug side effects.
Insurers are also joining in the fight to reduce preventable readmissions. Independence Blue Cross, for example, has participated in programs focused on 25 conditions that are at high risk of readmission.
Read the news report about preventable readmissions.
Related Articles on Preventable Readmissions:
Patient Safety Bills Aim for More Transparency Among Nevada Healthcare Providers
HCUP Study Shows Younger Medicare Beneficiaries Demonstrate Higher Readmissions
Hospital of UPenn: EDs Play Key Role in Reducing Hospital Readmissions
Preventable readmissions also account for more than $30 billion in healthcare spending. To address this, Medicare announced in April it would allocate $500 million to organizations and hospitals that partner on pilot programs to cut preventable readmissions. Meanwhile, the government is also funding hospitals to adopt Project RED, a program developed by Boston University researchers that helped slash preventable readmission by 30 percent in 2008 at Boston University Medical Center.
Project RED involves assigning every patient a discharge nurse, who is responsible for explaining their diagnosis, post-discharge instructions and arrange follow-up examinations. The nurse then asks the patients to explain their instructions in their own words. Two days after discharge, the nurse follows up with a phone call to the patient to resolve any issues. Individualized instruction booklets are also sent to patients' physicians.
Another study at Boston University Medical Center featured a virtual nurse named Louise, who talks patients through their discharge information. This way, patients fully understand their post-discharge instructions and how to handle any complications after they've left the hospital. It also allows patients to review the information if it needs to be repeated. It is sometimes lack of understanding post-discharge information that leads to preventable readmissions, according to the news report. Other causes include failure to attend follow-up appointments or drug side effects.
Insurers are also joining in the fight to reduce preventable readmissions. Independence Blue Cross, for example, has participated in programs focused on 25 conditions that are at high risk of readmission.
Read the news report about preventable readmissions.
Related Articles on Preventable Readmissions:
Patient Safety Bills Aim for More Transparency Among Nevada Healthcare Providers
HCUP Study Shows Younger Medicare Beneficiaries Demonstrate Higher Readmissions
Hospital of UPenn: EDs Play Key Role in Reducing Hospital Readmissions