Post-discharge communication between inpatient and outpatient providers may not in itself improve 30-day hospital readmission rates, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Researchers analyzed 6,635 hospitalizations from September 2010 to December 2011 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Direct communication by discharging healthcare providers to outpatient providers occurred in 36.7 percent of cases.
Direct communication was more likely for patients cared for by hospitalists without house staff, patients with a high expected 30-day readmission rate and Medicare or privately insured patients compared with Medicaid patients. The most common reason for no direct communication was the provider's perception that the discharge summary was adequate, according to the study.
Direct communication from the discharging provider to the outpatient provider was not associated with readmission rates. "This suggests that enhancing interprovider communication at hospital discharge may not, in isolation, prevent readmissions," the authors wrote.
5 Best-Practice Readmission Reduction Initiatives
Patient Safety Tool: Re-Engineered Discharge to Reduce Readmissions
Researchers analyzed 6,635 hospitalizations from September 2010 to December 2011 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Direct communication by discharging healthcare providers to outpatient providers occurred in 36.7 percent of cases.
Direct communication was more likely for patients cared for by hospitalists without house staff, patients with a high expected 30-day readmission rate and Medicare or privately insured patients compared with Medicaid patients. The most common reason for no direct communication was the provider's perception that the discharge summary was adequate, according to the study.
Direct communication from the discharging provider to the outpatient provider was not associated with readmission rates. "This suggests that enhancing interprovider communication at hospital discharge may not, in isolation, prevent readmissions," the authors wrote.
More Articles on Hospital Readmissions:
7 Predictors of Hospital Readmission5 Best-Practice Readmission Reduction Initiatives
Patient Safety Tool: Re-Engineered Discharge to Reduce Readmissions