Agility Healthcare Services: Transitions Program

High readmission rates have long been considered a marker of lower quality care.

In response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) passed in 2010, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have been mandated to improve the quality of care by providing incentives to hospitals to lower their rates of preventable readmissions.

Beginning 2013, Hospitals above the national 30 day readmission averages for Pneumonia, Heart Failure, and Heart Attacks stand to lose up to 1% of all DRG payments from Medicare. By 2015, that number is 3%. In addition to raising the potential payment amount, CMS is expected to broaden the program to include four additional high-volume conditions by 2015. If the program works the way CMS expects it to, hospitals will keep improving readmission rates against an ascending national average.

Discharge instructions alone are not enough. Hospitals are being asked to extend the scope of care they provide on an admission to ensure the patient gets home safely, and stays there in good health.

The Transitions program at Agility Healthcare Services is a comprehensive post-discharge patient management program that will enable your hospital to make a measurable impact on rates of avoidable readmissions.

Facilities can select from several levels of care, in which a Trained Transition Coach will initiate a series of telephone conversations with the patient after discharge to broaden the scope of care provided by your hospital, and address the proven risk factors driving unnecessary readmissions.

Contact us today to learn more