Hospital Case Management – January 1, 2017
January 1, 2017
View Issues
-
Readmissions Are Down, Penalties Are Up — What Do You Do Now?
The Medicare readmission reduction program has been in place for five years but, despite decreasing readmissions, hospitals are still receiving penalties — $528 million in fiscal 2017 alone.
-
Cross-continuum Collaboration is Essential in Today’s World
If hospitals are to reduce readmissions, it’s essential for them to partner with organizations in the community that provide post-acute care.
-
Readmission Reduction Starts in the ED
Readmission reduction efforts should start in the ED, when patients first come into the hospital and when they make a return visit.
-
Continue Communication After Patients Leave the Hospital
Hospitals that are doing the best in avoiding major penalties for readmissions are providing post-discharge visits to reinforce teaching, review medication, and make sure patients have a follow-up appointment and keep the appointment.
-
Transitional Stroke Clinic Lowers 30-Day Readmissions
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s transitional stroke clinic, developed to provide standardized care for stroke patients discharged to home, resulted in a 48% lower risk of 30-day readmissions among patients who made just one visit to the clinic.
-
Get Ready: The Recovery Auditors Are Coming Your Way
CMS is expected to restart the Recovery Auditor program in the first quarter of 2017 if none of the organizations who lost the bid have filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office.
-
Reduce Readmissions with Better Data Analysis
Readmissions can never be low enough, so hospitals are constantly looking for better ways to reduce them. Some are finding that success depends on collecting good data, because you can’t reduce readmissions if you don’t know what’s bringing people back to your door.