- Care Transitions

Within 30 days of discharge, 17.6 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are re-hospitalized, and up to 76 percent of these readmissions may be preventable. Of beneficiaries who are readmitted within 30 days, 64 percent receive no post-acute care between discharge and readmission.

Avoidable readmissions place a physical and emotional burden on patients and families, cost Medicare an estimated $12 billion annually, and soon will create a financial liability for hospitals that accept Medicare reimbursement - while interventions for improving care transitions are both known and effective. Because of this, health care providers and patient advocates across the country are focusing increased attention on improving transitions of care for every patient. IFMC-IL is an ally in this effort. All hospitals and other provider settings are encouraged to take advantage our assistance through July 2014 to build a multi-stakeholder coalition, or community, to identify the root causes of readmissions, select an intervention, and put it into action.

Communities that join the IFMC-IL's initiative to improve transitions of care for populations and communities will contribute to a three-year, 20% national reduction in readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharge. Participants can expect to benefit from membership in a local care transitions coalition comprised of hospitals, nursing homes, advocacy groups, community based organizations and other local stakeholders to implement a comprehensive, fully integrated approach to reducing avoidable readmissions.