Care Transitions Intervention Program Applauded for Improving Home Health Access to Reduce Costly Hospital Readmissions

Newly released data demonstrates that the Care Transitions Intervention pilot program successfully reduced inpatient hospital readmissions by 25 percent between Fall 2010 and Spring 2012 through a collaborative effort among hospitals, home health agencies and a Medicaid-managed care program in upper New York State. Researchers suggest such a reduction in readmissions will result in a significant decrease in healthcare expenditures. Importantly, while the program was under a Medicaid managed care program, its key savings were derived within the Medicare program.

Program results announced by the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, an independent regional health planning organization, present compelling evidence that home healthcare can be highly effective in reducing avoidable rehospitalizations as well as readmissions to other institutional settings. Data show that the Care Transitions Intervention program was successful in reducing readmissions over both 30- and 60-day periods following a patient’s initial hospitalization.

The newly-announced data aligns with independent studies by Dr. Mary Naylor’s Transitional Care Model and Dr. Eric Coleman’s Care Transitions Program. In addition, a 2010 Care Transitions Summit involving the University of Pennsylvania, the Joint Commission, and home health and healthcare stakeholders highlighted the vital role home health plays in care transitions and in reducing rehospitalization. (More information may be found at: http://www.ahhqi.org/quality-initiatives/care-transitions.)

“As lawmakers in Washington and Albany look for ways to improve healthcare system efficiencies and reduce healthcare spending, we encourage them to look to programs like this as best practices with proven results that benefit the patient and the taxpayer,” stated Eric Berger on behalf of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare. “We commend this community-wide collaborative for demonstrating the vital role home health can play in strengthening our nation’s healthcare systems.”

Home healthcare interventions supported by the Care Transitions Intervention program include at least one home visit by a skilled healthcare professional or health educator following a patient’s hospital discharge as well as ongoing coordination with the patient to help them effectively manage chronic and complex health conditions while living independently.

“We applaud the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the State of New York for supporting the Care Transitions Intervention program,” added Berger. “This is yet another example of how the clinically-appropriate use of home healthcare is improving the lives of seniors and significantly reducing taxpayer costs.”

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare was established in 2010 to assist government officials in ensuring access to skilled home healthcare services for seniors and disabled Americans. Representing more than 1,500 community- and hospital-based home healthcare agencies across the United States, the Partnership is dedicated to developing innovative reforms to improve the quality, efficiency and integrity of home healthcare. To learn more, visit www.homehealth4america.org. To join the home healthcare policy conversation, connect with us on Facebook,Twitter and our blog.