At Ardent Hospice & Palliative Care, we believe that once a patient is on hospice, they should never have to experience another hospital stay or be readmitted into a hospital for any reason we have control over.
Readmission rates have always been a trusted measure of effective and responsible care, but since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) introduced the readmission reduction program in 2012, it’s been a higher priority for many hospitals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) defines “readmission” as patient admission to a hospital within 30 days of being discharged from an earlier hospital stay.
Essentially, Ardent transforms a patient’s own home into an emergency room, taking care of their medical needs as a hospital or in-office physician would. Our detailed care effectively lowers the readmission rates for hospitals, which is a tremendous benefit to them and the patients we serve.
How Lower Readmission Rates Benefit Hospitals
At the time the readmission reduction program was implemented, Medicare reported seeing a readmission rate of 20 percent—a rate CMS decided was unacceptably too high. In response, CMS decided to incentivize hospitals to reduce their rates through a payment reduction program that directly impacted hospital reimbursements for readmissions.
Just because a patient is readmitted, doesn’t mean faulty or inadequate care is to blame. Many times, these readmissions are preventable. And because hospice patients are no longer actively seeking treatment for their illness or condition, all the hospital can really do for them is provide care measures.
How Less Hospital Visits Benefit Patients
Once a patient has accepted hospice care, they no longer seek curative treatments for their condition. So there’s really no reason for them to go to the hospital when a medical issue arises. Many times, our patients have no desire whatsoever to visit an emergency room or hospital; dealing with transportation to the office, checking in, and waiting to be seen can often be very exhausting to already-frail patients.
Hospice is a way for them to get high-level care without them needing aggressive treatments or the inconvenience of visiting a hospital. Our nurses provide the same quality care for them in the comfort of their own home.
How We Do It
In an emergency, we can bring anything the patients might need right to their home. Whether they develop a wound or infection, or experience respiratory or cardiac issues, we can treat it all. We can also provide pain management so patients remain comfortable while they’re in our care. As a hospice care provider, we take every (non-curative) measure possible to address their comfort needs, and keep them from having to undergo the stress of visiting the hospital.
The biggest obstacle we face in helping hospitals lower their readmission rate is getting patients and their families to understand that 9-1-1 and the hospital no longer need to be their first calls when something happens. We spend a considerable amount of time educating them and letting them know that as long as we are providing hospice care, they should call us for emergencies. Our nurses are available to them 24/7 and can come out to their home if there is a problem, rather than the patient needing to go to the hospital.
Our dedication and commitment to providing high-level care keeps readmission rates low and patients out of the hospital. It’s our mission to make sure every patient is comfortable and living a high quality of life during their final days. To find out more about how we can help your loved one, call Ardent Hospice & Palliative Care at (858) 952-1786 or visit us online to set up a consultation.
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