Friday, December 21, 2012

Shorter length of stay improves readmission, mortality rates

Shorter length of stay improves readmission, mortality rates:
Despite fears that early discharge will compromise care, new research finds that shorter hospitals stays can actually improve readmission or death rates.
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Study Abstract: Associations Between Reduced Hospital Length of Stay and 30-Day Readmission Rate and Mortality

Study Editorial: Hospital Readmission Rates: Are We Measuring the Right Thing?

Saturday, December 15, 2012

6 biggest drivers of healthcare waste

6 biggest drivers of healthcare waste:
A Health Affairs policy brief published yesterday points to care delivery failures, poor care coordination, overtreatment, administrative complexity, pricing failures, and fraud and abuse as the greatest drivers of waste in healthcare.
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Health Affairs Health Policy Brief Reducing Waste in Health Care

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Telephone calls from nurses reduce readmissions

Telephone calls from nurses reduce readmissions:
A series of simple phone calls from a nurse can reduce readmissions and cut $1,225 in costs per patient, according to a study in this month's Health Affairs.
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Health Affairs: 
Low-Cost Transitional Care With Nurse Managers Making Mostly Phone Contact With Patients Cut Rehospitalization

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Communication failures lead to rampant discharge medication errors

Communication failures lead to rampant discharge medication errors:
Three out of four patients are going home with the wrong prescriptions or don't understand their medications, according to a Yale-New Haven Hospital study.
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Connecticut Health I-Team article in the New Hampshire Register
Yale study: Medication errors, confusion common for hospital patients