PATH ALONG The Hospital Committee Is Formed

Your hospital is not going to be ambushed.  Your hospital has formed a readmission reduction committee.  The committee meets monthly to formulate an effective strategy to reduce hospital readmissions. 

The hospital committee understands that (CMS) The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will send review in the form of over sight.  The over sight staff will want a detailed report on the significant programmatic progress being made to reduce hospital readmissions.

Participation in the reporting of significant information will be tied to maintaining certification as a Medicare and Medicaid provider.   So compliance will be required to maintain the hospitals ability to accept Medicare and Medicaid money as payment for services.

The over sight staff will be looking for evidence of hospital participation in an active process with community provider involvement designed to reduce readmssion rates.  The details of the plan should include four main points:

1. The process is inclusive

2. The process respects individual preferences

3. The process creates a care assurance benefit

4. The process demonstrates continuity of care

This is a challenge for hospital organizations to establish programming that facilitates a productive level of communication across the varied delivery settings.  PATH ALONG is an operational model that provides the hospital committee with an ongoing avenue of program specific referrals aimed at reducing hospital readmission rates.  PATH ALONG is an original Wisconsin model (service set) that connects inpatient providers to community staff who support the patient during health system transitions.  PATH ALONG is an evidence based model with three defined services to help the hospitalist fulfill their continuity of care role.  The focus is on care filled transitions. 

For more information point and click on site with free access
http://www.homecarepath.com/Pages/PRESSRELEASEOriginalWisconsinModelToReduceHospitalReadmissionRates.aspx