Healthcare In Crisis: Project seeks to curb hospital readmissions

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Project seeks to curb hospital readmissions

Botsford and Providence Hospitals are among 15 health centers in Michigan that will participate in a three-state collaborative project aimed at reducing hospital readmissions.

The targeted “rehospitalizations,” are unplanned and not scheduled, but are clinically related to the initial admission. The pilot project, named State Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations (STAAR), seeks to reduce 30-day rehospitalization rates (patients who are hospitalized again within 30 days of discharge) by 30 percent.

It will focus on improving patient care transitions — moving a patent from hospital to home care or another care setting — through enhanced patient communication and timely follow-ups after hospital discharge.

“Michigan hospitals realize that the recovery process has only just begun when patients leave our facilities and return to their lives,” said Spencer Johnson, president of Michigan Health Hospital Association, (MHA). “How patients transition from hospital care to their home or long-term-care facilities is key to the effectiveness of their treatment. By identifying and working to reduce avoidable rehospitalizations, Michigan hospitals will benefit not only our patients and communities, but other states will be able to learn from this initiative.”

The pilot project hospitals have pledged to commit significant staff time, resources and leadership. Each hospital will focus on enhancing assessment of post-discharge needs, teaching and learning for patients by the acute-care team, communication at discharge between the hospital and the provider assuming care for the patient, and timely follow-up after hospital discharge.

Hospitals in Michigan, Washington and Massachusetts are participating in the STAAR project and Michigan's efforts are being coordinated by Michigan's Quality Improvement Organization, based in Farmington Hills, and MHA, in Lansing.

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Statistics Collection

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