A priority for hospitals currently is decreasing readmissions for patients who are at high risk. Healthcare Financial Management Association’s article “Two Ways Hospitals Can Reduce Avoidable Readmissions” explains that effective initiatives from several hospitals with minimal 30-day rehospitalizations are, to a certain extent, the result of working together with inpatient and outpatient care providers, such as CareFor, which offers trusted home care assistance.
The hospitals outlined in the article provided the recommendations below to help cut back on rehospitalizations:
- Start getting ready for a patient’s discharge from a hospital visit on the day he or she is admitted. When an older adult is hospitalized, reach out to a home care agency, such as CareFor, to arrange for in-home care upon being discharged. Patient outcomes are considerably improved when home care services are in place as soon as possible following discharge.
- Identify patients who are at a higher risk for problems after discharge for further care coordination and/or case management services. (Make sure social workers see all patients age 80 and over to provide support with care needs.)
- Use technology to assess, track, or refer patients.
- Perform a complete evaluation of the patient’s care needs, risk factors, available resources, understanding and management of the disease or condition, and degree of family support.
At CareFor, trusted providers of the in-home care families need, we know how vital it is to develop a transitional plan of care in order to lessen the risk of hospital readmissions for seniors. We help seniors plan for care needs starting on day one of their hospital stay, monitoring their health and making sure that care plans are put in place as soon as they return home. Contact us at (512) 338-4533 or reach us through our online contact form to find out more about how we can help the seniors you love transition from hospital to home with professional home care services such as:
- Offering training and assistance with chronic condition management
- Medication reminders so meds are taken precisely as prescribed
- Assisting with coordination and balance
- And much more
Avoid an unnecessary follow-up hospital visit. Partner with CareFor for top-rated home and dementia care in Austin and the surrounding communities.