It appears this is both an effort to educate and use some business intelligence reporting to see how effective both are in combination.  Hospital and community efforts, as well as targeting care for specific diseases or conditions are the main focus and then analyze specific reasons given for admissions. 

Each area will have a committee for Quality Improvement and I am guessing reporting as well as group feedback will all enter into the process.  No doubt, these area will be under the microscope to see if the efforts lead to less re-admissions for Medicare patients.  Perhaps some day we can get it down to where we don’t admit anyone (grin).  BD 

On April 13, 2009, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in a Press Release that 14 communities will participate in a Care Transitions Project (Project) to eliminate unnecessary hospital readmissions.

According to CMS, the Project serves to improve health care processes so that patients, caregivers and providers have what is needed to keep patients from returning to the hospital for ongoing care.  CMS has selected the following 14 communities to participate in the Project:

  • Providence, Rhode Island
  • Upper Capitol Region, New York
  • Western Pennsylvania
  • Southwestern New Jersey
  • Metro Atlanta, Georgia East
  • Miami, Florida
  • Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Evansville, Indiana
  • Greater Lansing, Michigan area
  • Omaha, Nebraska
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • North West Denver, Colorado
  • Harlingen, Texas
  • Whatcom County, Washington

CMS reports that each of the care transition communities is led by a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) and that each QIO will be required to work to implement the following:

  • Hospital and community system wide interventions
  • Interventions that target specific diseases or conditions
  • Interventions that target specific reasons for admissions

CMS will monitor the success of the Project by watching the rates of readmission. 

Medicare Update: CMS Announces Pilot Program to Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates

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