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CONTACT INFORMATION:

Patricia Donovan
Voice: 732.528.4468
Fax: 732.292.3073
E-mail: pdonovan@hin.com
Web site: www.hin.com

Medication Review Top Task at Discharge to Prevent Readmissions, Survey Finds

Hospital readmissions of Medicare beneficiaries are of particular concern to survey respondents. About 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were readmitted within 30 days of hospital discharge, according to a 2009 report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A new report, Benchmarks in Reducing Hospital Readmissions, provides actionable information from 107 healthcare organizations on their efforts to reduce avoidable readmissions in their most vulnerable and highest-utilization populations. With hospital readmission trends under the microscope in healthcare reform, organizations will benefit from a review of these data to evaluate and plan programs and compare performance and utilization data.

Learn more about strategies to reduce readmissions.

NEWS FACTS:

• Report Content: 50 pages of metrics and measures on current and planned initiatives as well as lessons learned and results from early adopters of readmission reduction strategies. Innovative approaches to care transitions, case management, medication review and more for key populations and clinical conditions. More than 35 easy-to-follow graphs and tables.
  
  
• Data Highlights:
  • Current and planned readmission reduction programs;
    
    
  • Populations and conditions targeted by readmission reduction efforts;
    
    
  • Tools and strategies to identify patients most at risk for returning to the hospital;
    
    
  • The patient care model most often included in respondents' readmission reduction strategies;
    
    
  • Strategies, protocols and policies to help prevent hospital readmissions in vulnerable populations;
    
    
  • The top five tasks performed at hospital discharge to minimize the chances of a patient returning to the hospital as well as other strategies to strengthen the hospital discharge process;
    
    
  • Roles and responsibilities in readmission avoidance program administration;
    
    
  • Emerging trends in reimbursement and incentives for reduction of readmission rates;
    
    
  • Overcoming barriers to reducing readmissions and to the launching of programs in this area;
    
    
  • The impact of hospital readmission management programs on healthcare utilization, member/patient satisfaction and ROI;
    
    
  • The complete November 2009 Reducing Hospital Readmissions survey tool;
  
  
  and much, much more.
  
  
• Target Audience: Healthcare payors, purchasers, providers and other key decision-makers.

• Contributing Authors: Connie Commander, president of Commander’s Premier Consulting Corporation, Mary Cooley , manager of case and disease management at Priority Health, Michele Gilbert, education coordinator of the heart failure team and pulmonary hypertension program at Hackensack University Medical Center, Gregg Lehman, president and CEO of Health Fitness Corporation and former president and CEO of INSPIRIS, Inc., Doreen Salek, director, business operations of health services for Geisinger Health Plan, Thom Stambaugh, chief pharmacy officer and vice president of clinical programs and specialty pharmacy with CIGNA Pharmacy Management, Janet Tomcavage, vice president of health services for Geisinger Health Plan and Dr. Marsha Wade, senior medical director at Aetna Medicare Medical Management.
  
  
• Report Formats: PDF instant download or Print.

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO MELANIE MATTHEWS, HIN EXECUTIVE VP AND COO:

Click here for Melanie Matthews's profile.

"The survey results reveal an industry in tune with readmission trends, committed to reducing avoidable readmissions in its most vulnerable populations and anxious to coordinate efforts with payors and providers across the healthcare continuum. The responses in this report offer unique perspectives in the practices, challenges and benefits of reducing costly hospital readmissions."

Please contact Patricia Donovan to arrange an interview or to obtain additional quotes.

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network — HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 449-4463, e-mail info@hin.com, or visit http://www.hin.com.

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