Giving readmission numbers a BOOST

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety

Background:

• A medium-sized teaching hospital implemented Project BOOST (Better Outcomes for Older adults through Safe Transitions) in February 2010.
• Project BOOST is a Society of Hospital Medicine initiative focused on improving care transitions for elderly adults during hospital discharge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of Project BOOST on 30-day unplanned hospital readmission rates.
• To determine if the program led to a statistically significant reduction in readmissions for older adults.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 30-day unplanned readmission rates was conducted.
• Data from the 12 months preceding and following Project BOOST implementation were compared.

Main Results:

• The 30-day readmission rate decreased from 4% to 3.7%, a statistically significant reduction.
• The initiative prevented an estimated 119 repeat admissions.
• The most substantial decrease in readmissions was observed in patients not directly managed by the hospitalist service but discharged by case managers.

Conclusions:

• Project BOOST, when implemented by case managers, significantly reduced 30-day readmissions.
• The positive impact on readmission rates was observed across all patient populations, irrespective of their treating specialty or admission reason.