CMS Targets Hospital Readmissions

Fourteen U.S. communities have been chosen for CMS’ Care
Transitions pilot to eliminate unnecessary hospital readmissions.
The project, to continue through summer 2011, will promote
“seamless transitions” from hospital to home, skilled nursing care
or home health care to keep patients from returning to the hospital
for ongoing care needs. The communities include Providence, R.I.;
Upper Capitol Region, N.Y.; western Pennsylvania; southwestern New
Jersey; metro Atlanta East; Miami; Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Evansville,
Ind.; greater Lansing, Mich.; Omaha, Neb.; Baton Rouge, La.;
northwest Denver; Harlingen, Texas; and Whatcom County, Wash.

“Our data show that nearly one in five patients who leave the
hospital today will be readmitted within the next month, and that
more than three-quarters of these readmissions are potentially
preventable,” said CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera.