Implementation and Feasibility of the Re-Engineered Discharge for Surgery (RED-S) Intervention: A Pilot Study

Adapting Project Re-Engineered Discharge (Project RED), an intervention for reducing internal medicine hospital readmissions, is a promising option for reducing colorectal surgery readmissions.

We conducted a pilot study for the adaptation and implementation of Project RED with patients admitted for colectomy at a regional VA tertiary care center between July 2014 and January 2015. Implementation was evaluated using adherence to intervention components and results from the Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients. The adapted Project RED for Surgery has five components: surgical wound/ostomy-care education, scheduled follow-up appointments, medication reconciliation, an After Hospital Care Plan, and postdischarge phone calls.

All (n = 21) participants received postoperative wound care education, and 77% of ostomy patients received education. Follow-up appointments were scheduled for 76% with surgery clinic and 67% with primary care. Half received pharmacist-led medication reconciliation. Seventy-five percent received a postdischarge phone call. Ninety five percent of participants reported positive or satisfactory care transitions versus less than 60% of a comparison group of surgery patients from the same institution. We summarized lessons learned from this intervention study to facilitate future dissemination efforts.

The lessons learned from this pilot can guide quality improvement teams seeking to implement the Re-Engineered Discharge for Surgery intervention within their existing workflows.