With 15 percent of all initial hospital stays in New York resulting in readmissions, bounce-backs totaled $3.7 billion in 2008, according to a new report by the New York State Health Foundation and Mathematica Policy Research. These readmissions (274,000 hospital stays) accounted for 16 percent of total hospital costs, according to the report. Even more, readmissions for complications or infections accounted for 6 percent of total hospital costs, adding up to $1.3 billion.
The problem of readmissions is not only found at a few hospitals in the state, said NYSHealth President and CEO James Knickman in a Business Review Morning Call article.
"They are common and costly in every region of the state," he said.
With readmissions translating into dollars lost, hospitals (although as the report indicates, too few hospitals) currently are examining ways to improve patient management to prevent them from returning.
The report indicated that improved discharge processes and post-discharge support can reduce readmission rates by a third, as evidenced by two programs in particular: Care Transitions Intervention, otherwise known as CTI, and Project Re-Engineered Discharge, also known as RED. In CTI and RED interventions, nurse advocates help patients navigate the discharge process and manage their conditions. Hospitals that have implemented these interventions have reduced readmissions by 30 to 35 percent, according to the report.
Other common hospital discharge improvements include coordination with primary care physicians, better patient communication, improved patient education to self-manage care, and medication reconciliation.
For more information:
- check out the report (.pdf)
- read the Morning Call article
Share this via Twitter
Related Articles
Simple, improved discharge care cuts readmissions
Many readmission not preventable, study says
Hospital ACO model saved $400k, cut readmissions
Modest hospitalist cost savings offset by ED visits, readmissions