Allegiance Health Among Those Chosen in National Project to Reduce "Rehospitalizations"

June 21, 2009

Jackson, Mich. — Allegiance Health has been selected to participate in a three-state project that will seek to reduce the number of people who must be readmitted to the hospital for clinical reasons related to the initial hospitalization.

The project targets unplanned, related “rehospitalizations,” which are readmissions that are not expected/scheduled, but whose reason is clinically related to the initial admission. The pilot project, named STate Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations (STAAR), seeks to reduce 30-day rehospitalization rates (patients being hospitalized again within 30 days of discharge) by 30 percent, while increasing patient and family satisfaction with transitions and coordination of care.

Hospitals in Michigan, Washington and Massachusetts are participating in the STAAR project and Michigan’s efforts are being coordinated by the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality and MPRO (Michigan’s Quality Improvement Organization). Technical assistance is being provided by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), whose efforts are supported by a grant from The Commonwealth Fund.

“Allegiance Health is honored to participate in this initiative to improve patient care across the healthcare continuum throughout our community,” said Beth Smith, director of Quality Resource Management. “We are committed to the highest quality of care at Allegiance Health and to pursuing innovative efforts that lead to the best outcomes for our patients.”

Ten independent Michigan hospitals and select hospitals within five Michigan hospital systems have been chosen to participate in a three-state healthcare collaborative to reduce hospital readmissions. Those selected include:

Health System Hospitals:

  • Detroit Medical Center
  • Mid Michigan Health
  • Spectrum Health System
  • St. John Health System
  • University of Michigan Hospitals & Health Centers, Ann Arbor

Individual Hospitals:

  • Allegiance Health, Jackson
  • Battle Creek Health System
  • Botsford Hospital, Farmington Hills
  • Charlevoix Area Hospital
  • Crittenton Hospital Medical Center, Rochester
  • Gerber Memorial Health Services, Fremont
  • Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit
  • Mecosta County Medical Center, Big Rapids
  • Pennock Health Services, Hastings
  • Portage Health, Hancock

Specifically, the project aims to reduce avoidable rehospitalizations by improving patient care transitions (the process of moving a patient from the hospital setting to home care or another health care setting) through enhanced patient communication and timely follow-ups after hospital discharge.

The criteria used to select the participating hospitals was based on regional representation; representation by rural/urban, teaching/nonteaching; critical access hospitals; ethnic diversity in hospital service area; representation by independent and system hospitals; willingness to recruit post-acute care partners (long-term care, home health, etc.); and willingness and capacity to collect data.

The pilot project hospitals have pledged to commit significant staff time, resources and leadership at all levels of their organization to reduce avoidable rehospitalizations. Each hospital will focus on achieving:

  • Enhanced assessment of post-discharge needs
  • Enhanced teaching and learning for patients by the acute-care team
  • Enhanced communication at discharge between the hospital and the provider assuming care for the patient
  • Timely follow-up after hospital discharge