Executive Summary For Reduced Hospital Readmissions As A Quality Improvement Initiative

Executive Summary For Reduced Hospital Readmissions As A Quality Improvement Initiative

Quality healthcare provision should be the goal for every health provider to patients. Any circumstances that compromise quality healthcare provision should be explored and looked into, and necessary adjustments should be developed. According to Wadhera et al. (2019), a high hospital readmission rate can compromise quality healthcare, and initiatives to reduce the high rates should be prioritized. Implementation of the initiative to lower readmissions will help improve the quality of healthcare offered in the facility (Wadhera et al., 2019). The initiative will improve quality and reduce the cost curve of healthcare. The summary will cover the purpose of proposing the initiative, the benefits, the interprofessional relationship required and targeted population, and the budget gratification. 

The purpose of proposing this initiative is that hospital readmission has become rampant and common. It is closely and highly related to unfavorable outcomes of patients and a worldwide issue of concern. According to Amara (2021), The causes of readmission are vast, with varying rates, and some may be uncontrollable, but most of the causes can be limited and corrected. Statistics show that almost 20% of all discharges from the hospital have a readmission within 30 days (Amara, 2021). applying the project, communication and care coordination in hospitals will be enhanced between care providers and patients, especially in discharging. 

The purpose of this proposal is also to identify the cause of readmissions in detail. Most mistakes happen in the discharge process, including poor drug administration and dosage communication, infection prevention, need for diet, and check-ups (Gai & Pachamanova, 2019). Patients not knowing this vital information fail to take drugs well, leading to readmissions. Medication errors have become a serious challenge to patients, especially illiterate and aged patients. In addition to errors, most patients tend to be uncompliant to medications, leading to a high readmissions rate. Proper education will lead to better compliance (Gai & Pachamanova, 2019). Additionally, lack of timely follow-up care, nutritional deficiencies, reinfections, and falls are some of the main reasons for readmissions. Identifying this will help know specific approaches to correct the challenge leading to low-quality healthcare provision. 

The initiative of lowering hospital readmissions has been made a national priority, and so as an institution, it is a good directive to focus on remedying that. Reducing hospital; readmissions will greatly benefit both patients, healthcare providers, the health system, and the nation largely (Gai & Pachamanova, 2019). In readmissions, the health facility incurs high expenditures as most resources are consumed; reducing the rates will help reduce the high hospital costs incurred. Healthcare givers will experience a great benefit by applying this project in reducing the workload. Readmission exposes medical practitioners to a lot of work having more patients admitted. The project, by reducing workload, will help healthcare provides offer quality care to the few patients admitted. 

Readmissions predispose one to nosocomial infections, and reducing the rate will benefit patients by preventing them from acquiring hospital infections. Nosocomial infections to some level may be deadly and may increase the mortality rate. Good discharge procedures will benefit patients by improving their knowledge of drug intake (Gai & Pachamanova, 2019). Additionally, patients incur less cost when readmissions are eradicated hence beneficial to them. The patient's outcome can be greatly increased hence a country free from mortality and morbidity. The project will also benefit the healthcare system by reducing the load of patients imposed by readmissions (Wadhera et al., 2019). Less stay at the hospital leads to less health system resource utilization and less expenditure. 

The proposed project will help save on budget by reducing the large amounts of money spent by hospitals and readmissions. According to Wilson (2019), the cost of readmissions in hospitals is estimated to be 26 billion dollars per year. And looking at this institution, the amount lost on readmissions is relatively high, so by reducing the readmissions, the hospital will save on much money, which can be directed to other developmental projects. The hospital can invest the money in other projects that increase the quality of healthcare provided (Wilson, 2019). Additionally, patients pay more when they visit the health center again for readmissions, so taking precautions to reduce the high risk will also save patients from the extra cost of travel, medications, consultation, and event admission. 

The project can succeed if medical professionals interrelate and coordinate in certain ways. According to Haj-Ali et al. (2020), every health caregiver in their field should work together to ensure zero readmission incidences. Nurses, on their part, should educate patients when discharging them on the safety and importance of following discharge guidelines. Pharmacists, on their part, should offer patients important information about a drug prescription, compliance needs, and dosage requirements. They should enlighten patients and their caregivers on the possible medication errors that may arise (Haj-Ali et al., 2020). Interrelationships should also exist between the physicians and the other practitioners. The physicians should educate patients on their medical conditions and treat and manage them. With more information on the condition, the patient will be able to self-care (Haj-Ali et al., 2020). The audience of this project is the patients as the main stakeholders, the healthcare providers, and the healthcare system.

In conclusion, the project can be evaluated based on the rate of hospital readmissions about the implementation of the project. Applying the initiative will greatly save costs, expenditure, and resources on individual patients, hospitals, and the country (Wadhera et al., 2019). Reducing hospital readmissions will improve the quality of patients' lives and the healthcare they receive, hence reducing mortality and morbidity. Approval of this initiative will be of positive impact and great change to the healthcare system in improving the quality of primary care and reducing one of the greatest compromises to top-notch care.

References

Amara, R. (2021). Mobile Integrated Healthcare Models: Effect on Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program of the Affordable Care Act (Doctoral dissertation, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE).

Gai, Y., & Pachamanova, D. (2019). Impact of the Medicare hospital readmissions reduction program on vulnerable populations. BMC health services research, 19(1), 1-15.

Haj-Ali, W., Moineddin, R., Hutchison, B., Wodchis, W. P., & Glazier, R. H. (2020). Role of Interprofessional primary care teams in preventing avoidable hospitalizations and hospital readmissions in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 1-16.

Wadhera, R. K., Yeh, R. W., & Maddox, K. E. J. (2019). The hospital readmissions reduction program—time for a reboot. The New England journal of medicine, 380(24), 2289. 

Wilson, L. (2019). MA patients' readmission rates are higher than traditional Medicare, study finds. Healthcare Dive. https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/ma-patients-readmission-rates-higher-than-traditional-medicare-study-find/557694/