Cutting Repeat Hospital Trips for Heart Failure

Hospitals can improve the discharge process for patients with heart failure, a new study finds. Following all 6 steps could reduce new hospital stays within 30 days. And that could save $100 million for the health care system, the study estimates. Researchers surveyed nearly 600 hospitals. They were part of a program to reduce hospital admissions for heart failure. On average, nearly 1 in 4 patients returned within 30 days after a hospital stay for heart failure. But specific steps were linked with a lower return rate. These hospitals had nurses supervise medicine plans. They also scheduled follow-up appointments before the patient left. They worked with other hospitals to use similar processes. They set up partnerships with doctors in the community. They sent discharge information to the patients’ doctors. And they called patients with test results that came in after discharge.