Reducing avoidable hospital readmissions effectively: a statewide campaign.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• The Reducing Avoidable Readmissions Effectively (RARE) Campaign aimed to decrease 30-day hospital readmissions.
• It engaged hospitals and care providers across Minnesota's continuum of care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a statewide campaign targeting avoidable hospital readmissions.
• To assess the impact of collaborative learning and resource support on readmission rates.

Main Methods:

• Hospitals received one-on-one support from RARE resource consultants.
• Participation in learning collaboratives (Care Transitions Intervention, Project RED, SAFE Transitions of Care) was offered.
• Monthly webinars, Action Learning Days, and quarterly reporting of actual-to-expected potentially preventable readmissions (A/E PPRs) were utilized.

Main Results:

• 82 hospitals participated by December 2013, with 71% in at least one learning collaborative.
• Over 7,000 readmissions were prevented.
• The A/E PPR ratio decreased by 12% (from 0.98 to 0.86) by September 2013.

Conclusions:

• Peer-to-peer networking and collaboration were key drivers of success.
• Statewide resources and partner support facilitated improved discharge planning and care transitions.
• The campaign led to better medication management, increased patient/family engagement, and reduced readmission rates.