Patients discharged from U.S. hospitals return far too often. Almost one in five elderly patients released from a hospital is back within 30 days, and more than one in three are back within 90 days. Although some readmissions are part of a patient’s treatment plan, many are avoidable.
In this Reform in Action brief, lessons from Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) and RWJF demonstrate how hospitals and health care organizations are addressing the problem of avoidable readmissions by taking steps to help patients get the care they need.
4.4M potentially preventable trips to the hospital add $30B to US healthcare spending each yr
These ten facts from Care About Your Care show why care transitions are so critical, outline key areas of concern, and share how the health care system is focusing on improvement.
Traditionally, efforts to reduce avoidable readmissions have focused on hospitals, but it is becoming clear that many factors along the care continuum influence readmissions. These innovative national models take a broader view of care transitions, and are implementing a variety of interventions aimed at reducing avoidable readmissions.
Traditionally, efforts to reduce avoidable readmissions have focused on hospitals, but it is becoming clear that many factors along the care continuum influence readmissions. These innovative national models take a broader view of care transitions, and are implementing a variety of interventions aimed at reducing avoidable readmissions.
Asking questions, asking for a plan, and making sure you know what do to if your symptoms get worse can help you stay out of the hospital. If your hospital does not provide similar tools, use the Care About Your Care discharge checklist and care transition plan.
Download the discharge checklist and transition plan in English or Spanish
AF4Q alliances are working with local providers and health systems to help ensure care transitions are smoothed and avoidable readmissions are reduced in their communities.
Care About Your Care is a national conversation highlighting efforts to improve care transitions, reduce avoidable hospital readmissions, and lift the overall quality of care.
A collection of success stories from the front lines of American health care provides free access to strategies used by hospitals and medical practices nationwide to improve care. This library of innovations is based on years of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded hospital and community-based health care quality improvement initiatives.
Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) shares lessons and resources from its efforts to elevate the quality of health care in 16 regions around the country in a series of Reform in Action suites:
