title: Preventability of 30-day readmissions for heart failure patients before and after a quality improvement initiative.
abstract: The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of heart failure (HF) readmissions that can be prevented through a quality improvement (QI) program. All HF patients at the University of Connecticut Health Center who had a readmission within 30 days of discharge in the year before (2008) and the year after (2011) a QI program were studied. Through chart review, the percentage of patients who had preventable readmissions in each year was estimated. Prior to the QI initiative, chart reviewers identified that 20% to 30% of readmissions were preventable. The decrease in readmissions after the QI program was similar at 28%. Fewer readmissions after the QI initiative were deemed preventable compared with before. In conclusion, this study found a percentage of preventable readmissions similar to the actual 28% reduction in readmissions after a QI program was launched. Preventable readmissions were less common after the QI program was in place.
authors: 1University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT.
authors: Jason
authors: J
authors: Ryan
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Andrews
authors: Mary Beth
authors: MB
authors: Barry
authors: Sangwook
authors: S
authors: Kang
authors: Aline
authors: A
authors: Iskandar
authors: Priti
authors: P
authors: Mehla
authors: Raj
authors: R
authors: Ganeshan
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: heart failure; preventability; readmissions