EARLY HOSPITAL DISCHARGES AND READMISSIONS

EARLY HOSPITAL DISCHARGES AND READMISSIONS IHS , University Colorado

The biggest medical risk on hospital discharge is having preventable complications that land them back in the hospital.  It costs the hospitals money and causes unnecessary harm to the patients, many of whom are elderly.  Eighteen percent of Medicare patients are readmitted within 30 days of their discharge.

Five million patients are readmitted each year with a third of them readmitted within 90 days of discharge. Many of them have no clue what to do when they leave the hospital.

THE PROBLEM 

The hospital does not get paid for any follow up care or service.  There are many doctors on the case and no one seems to be captain of the ship.  No one identifies which patients are at greatest risk of returning to the ER.  No one at home is instructed on how to monitor and educated their sick family member, and even what medication to take. 

Poor communication between the patient and the medical staff on the case seem to lead to the problems.  There is little follow up care.  Who can get through the red tape of calling your doctor and getting an appointment when you deem necessary.  Could the staff make the appointments for the doctor’s office before discharge?

Fortunately there are pilot studies in Chicago and Philadelphia to offer transitional care service.  Until someone pays for this, I think the patients may have to higher a nurse be their omnibudsman.

Like they say down South:  “You all come back real soon!”.

What do you think?