OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--San Francisco Bay Area hospitals participating in an innovative initiative called ARC (Avoid Readmissions through Collaboration) reduced the number of discharged patients readmitted to hospitals in 2011 and 2012 by more than 3,300, saving an estimated $32 million in medical costs. This is an 11% reduction compared to 2010, putting ARC more than one-third of the way to its goal of reducing readmissions 30% by the end of 2013.
“Studies show that nearly one in five discharged Medicare patients returns to a hospital within 30 days – about two million people annually,” said ARC Implementation Officer Pat Teske, RN, MHA. “Readmissions not only cost more than $17 billion annually, but also have a huge impact on patients. Reducing readmissions is a critical indicator that Bay Area hospitals are improving health care outcomes for thousands of patients.”
ARC has played a key role by supporting hospitals as they improve the transition of care process. This includes ensuring patients understand discharge instructions and encouraging closer collaboration between hospital staff and post-hospital medical care providers.
The progress on readmissions was shared today with more than 150 attendees at Beyond Hospital Walls, an ARC-sponsored conference in Oakland. The daylong event focused on best practices used in different care settings and forged closer relationships between hospital staff and other allied health care professionals and facilities, such as pharmacists, skilled nursing facilities and home health care agencies.
“We still have work to do to reach our 30% reduction goal,” said Ms. Teske. “But we can all be proud that ARC and our partners are leading the way to improve patient health and reduce medical costs.”
(Media Advisory: Contact Pat Teske for hospital source interviews.)
ABOUT ARC
Avoid Readmissions through Collaboration is a Cynosure Health project operated in partnership with the California Quality Collaborative and funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The project engages San Francisco Bay Area and other California hospitals in an initiative to reduce 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission rates 30% by the end of 2013. www.avoidreadmissions.com.
ABOUT CYNOSURE HEALTH
Cynosure Health is a non-profit dedicated to spreading knowledge about healthcare innovations and facilitating their local adoption through its newsletter, blog, webinars and in-person meetings. www.cynosurehealth.org.
