Follow Up Care can Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates in Indiana
As Indiana medical malpractice lawyers see, there can be plenty of factors responsible for a patient having to be readmitted into a hospital a few days after discharge. A provision buried in Pres. Obama's healthcare reform package will cut reimbursement for hospitals in certain types of readmission. That should be enough motivation for hospitals to look closer at their facility’s readmission rates. One Hospital in Chicago has undertaken a pilot program to understand the reasons for such readmissions. The hospital found that the reasons for such readmissions were extremely complex.
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago initiated a pilot program in 2007. The program came in response to the discovery that readmissions were high because of several complex social factors. Patients who live alone, or lack emotional and physical support were much more likely to develop complications that required them be readmitted back into the hospital.
To tackle these issues, Rush University Medical Center established a program in which social workers would follow-up with patients after discharge. The social workers would focus on patients who had a high risk of readmission. This included those above 65 years of age, or those patients who were on seven or more medications or lived alone at home. Out of the 1,248 patients that were followed up via telephone, 60% were found to have confusion about the medications or had other such unresolved problems.
Post discharge care is a much neglected part of patient safety. The unfortunate fact is that too many patients suffer from a lack of knowledge about post-discharge care. There may be confusion about medications and side effects. Besides, elderly persons who live alone are much less likely to take their medications on time. Hospitals must be more proactive, and get involved in how their patients are faring after they leave the hospital.
The Indiana medical malpractice lawyers at Theodoros and Rooth represent injured victims of surgical errors, misdiagnoses, delayed diagnoses, emergency room errors, medication errors and other medical errors in the Lake County area, and across the state of Indiana.
