Community health planners soon discover there are many factors contributing to the increase in hospital readmission rates. Several of the most evident include:
1. Aging population people are living longer
2. Increased severity of illness required to be admittied to the hospital
3. Decreased time per hospital stay related to pay source policy
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) have determined hospital readmission is expensive for everyone. CMS has enacted policy that reduces hospital reimbursment if a readmission occurs within the 30 day window. This is regulatory activity designed to shape Medicare and Medicaid certified provider services in a way that reduces the hospital readmission rate.
Calculations from 2008 (AHRQ) Agency for Health Research and Quality, and (HCUP) Health Care Cost and Utilization Project indicate a 30 day readmission rate of 19.0 percent among Medicare patients 65 and older. Nineteen percent would equate to about one in every five hospitalized patients with Medicare could return for a readmission.
PATH ALONG has examined the relationship between the statistics that demonstrate a high rate of hospital readmissions to list guidelines for implementing a practice of referral. PATH ALONG is an original Wisconsin model that connects inpatient providers to community staff who support the patient during health system transitions. A referral is recommended to PATH ALONG with:
1. The person has a history of readmission to the hospital
2. The person has a chronic disease process (COPD, Diabetes, CHF) with a change in physical function.
3. The person has a chronic disease process (COPD, DIABETES, CHF) with a change in cognitive function.
PATH ALONG staff would follow up with the person and family to arrange an interview. Simply call 608-432-4286.
Look us up on the web site http://www.homecarepath.com/Pages/PRESSRELEASEOriginalWisconsinModelToReduceHospitalReadmissionRates.aspx
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