Discharge Planning Advisor Archives – June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011
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HHS releases proposed ACO rules, highlighting care coordination
Proposed rules for the creation of accountable care organizations (ACOs) will require participating organizations to provide primary care to 5,000 or more patients and to meet 65 quality standards. Since the new ACOs also will require substantial start-up costs, some experts say it will be both a challenge and an opportunity for hospitals. -
ACO rules could create a variety of new burdens
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' recently published proposed rule (42 CFR 425) for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) could result in some positive changes for the health care industry, but there are a few problems that should be corrected, an expert says. -
How can you prepare for an ACO world?
Some hospitals have been focusing more on care transition issues in anticipation of the advent of accountable care organizations (ACOs) or just because it's a way to improve both quality and efficiency in health care. -
Follow-up program shows positive outcomes
Hospitals often have nurses call patients after discharge in hopes of improving their satisfaction ratings. A new study shows that there are a couple of very good reasons to provide these calls, but a boost in reported patient satisfaction is not one of them. -
Care transition option involves house calls
Hospital readmission data often show that people who fail to see their primary care physician in a timely manner are more likely than other patients to return to the hospital within 30 days, a hospital performance improvement expert says. -
LOS for heart failure drops with program
A nine-month study at a New York State hospital has shown that a well-planned transitional care program for heart failure patients can result in reduced readmissions, hospitalization costs, mortality rates, and length of stay. -
SNFs often have high number of readmissions
Research has shown that close to one in four Medicare patients transitioned from the hospital to skilled nursing facilities are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. This is less than ideal, especially in these times when hospitals and other providers have to meet a growing list of federal quality standards.