Care Transitions Program Shows Home Health Care

A collaborative effort among hospitals, home health agencies, and a Medicaid-managed care program in upper New York state to reduce hospital readmissions has been successful, according to recently-released data, and this could have positive implications for decreasing healthcare expenditures.

The Care Transitions Intervention pilot demonstration reduced inpatient rehospitalizations by 25% between the fall of 2010 and spring of 2012, and researchers say this reduction in readmissions will result in a “significant decrease” in healthcare spending.

Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, an independent regional health planing organization, recently announced the program results and presented evidence that home healthcare can be “highly effective” in reducing avoidable rehospitalizations, as well as readmissions to other institutional settings.

Data from the Care Transitions Intervention program shows the initiative as successfully reducing readmissions over both 30- and 60-day periods following a patient’s initial hospitalization.

“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 practiceswith proven results that benefit the patient and the taxpayer,” said Eric Berger on behalf of industry trade group 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.”

The program supports home healthcare interventions, including 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.