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Readmission reduction strategies for patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities
A case study from 2 hospital systems in 1 city
McHugh, J. P., Shield, R. R., Gadbois, E. A., Winblad, U., Mor, V., & Tyler, D. A. (2019). Readmission reduction strategies for patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities: A case study from 2 hospital systems in 1 city. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 36(1), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000459
BACKGROUND: Some hospitals seek integration with skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to reduce readmissions while others focus more on patients discharged home.
PURPOSE: Our objective was to understand different approaches for readmission reduction for patients discharged to SNFs based on contrasting strategies from 2 competing hospital systems.
METHODS: Employing a case study methodology, we compared 1 hospital system that integrated with SNFs to a competing system that did not. We compared interview data from clinical and administrative staff and publicly reported rehospitalization rate changes from the 2 systems.
RESULTS: Analysis of integrating hospital system interviews noted providing patients detailed discharge information and educating SNF staff regarding care protocols. Integrated hospital system all-cause readmission rates declined by nearly 1 percentage point more than the nonintegrated hospital system (coefficient, -0.008; 95% confidence interval, -0.003 to -0.012) between 2014 and 2017.
CONCLUSION: As hospitals explore care transition improvements to SNFs, developing more embedded relationships highlights one approach to improve value.