Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

The old saying “haste makes waste” suggests that timely planning is key to long-term success. This adage was never put to the test more than in the field of medicine, where careful assessment and treatment are the standards of quality patient care.

In a recent study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) that spanned 16 states and included more than 2.1 million hospital patients, researchers discovered that thoughtful, planned discharges led to fewer readmissions over a 30-day period for those “treated for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and hip or joint replacement.”

“According to the study, ideal discharge planning begins several days in advance, with the goal of ensuring that patients understand basic questions such as where they will go after discharge, what special care and medications they may need, whether they must restrict certain foods or activities, and what symptoms to monitor,” the July 19, AHRQ Electronic Newsletter, Issue 526, explains.

AHRQ provides a myriad of tools for both providers and patients to help avoid or at least reduce readmissions.

Resource: For a review of the complete article from the AHRQ Electronic Newsletter, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/e-newsletter/526.html#link7.