Readmissions Targeted by IL Blues, Hospitals

 "Over time, these savings will go back to the taxpayers and businesses in Illinois, as the state (Medicaid), the federal government (Medicare), employers, and individual policy holders in the form of lower healthcare costs," Wurth said. "More importantly will be the improved health and safety of patients, and the satisfaction hospital and physician partners receive from being able to deliver improved care."

The initiative—Preventing Readmissions through Effective Partnerships – will team with the Division of Hospital Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Society of Hospital Medicine, to reduce readmissions by 2014, focusing on:

• ·        Redesigning hospital discharge processes;
• ·        Improving transitions of care;
• ·        Developing and improving palliative care programs;
• ·        Reducing readmissions from infections; and
• ·        Measuring reductions in readmissions using standardized metrics

PREP will stress patient education—assessing a patient's needs before discharge, and making sure they have the information they need for a smooth transition. This patient/provider partnership includes standardized discharge planning that highlight medications, follow up, pending tests, self-management instructions, and goal setting, IHA and BCBSI said.

See Also:
12 Ways to Reduce Hospital Readmissions

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