AHA

Studies show that patients who understand their post-hospital care instructions are 30 percent less likely to be readmitted or to visit the emergency department. (Jack, Brian W., et al. (2009) A Reengineered Hospital Discharge Program to Decrease Re-hospitalization. Annals of Internal Medicine, February 3, 2009).

One of the most critical transitions in the continuum of care is the transfer of caregiver responsibility from hospital clinicians to the actual patient or family. Establishing a solid understanding of discharge instructions is vital to patient compliance and safety and to minimizing risk in your care system.

Nearly 20 percent of Medicare patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge, according to industry studies. In October 2012, CMS will begin denying payment for these patients.

Cullman Regional Medical Center (CRMC) and Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta share innovative measures taken to improve patient comprehension and compliance with discharge instructions. Hear how CRMC reduced readmissions by 7 percentage points. Learn how Saint Joseph’s, specializing in the care of acutely ill adults, increased patient satisfaction scores by utilizing a discharge communication tool as a best practice.

You Will Learn To:

• Improve patient/caregiver dialogue using best practices
• Identify key patient risk and safety challenges
• Empower patients to manage their after-care
• Audit discharge communications and identify opportunities for improvement
• Track and use patient instruction retrieval data to inform your workflow process
• Pair discharge phone calls with individualized electronic patient discharge instructions to improve patient satisfaction

Speakers:

• Cheryl Bailey, BSN, MBA, Chief Nursing Officer/Vice President, Patient Care Services, Cullman Regional Medical Center
• Mark McDonald, RN, BBA, MHA, Administrative Director, Nursing Services, Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta