title: The Washington Heights Community Service model: positive outcomes and implications for reimbursement under the ACA.
abstract: Medicare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) base reimbursement partly on hospital readmission rates, but there is little guidance for providers to reduce these rates. This column describes a model of care used by Washington Heights Community Service (WHCS) in New York City. Without benefit of external funding, WHCS has implemented practices, such as family involvement at all treatment levels, community outreach, effective medication prescribing, shared electronic medical records, and proactive provider communication, that have led to lower rates of readmission in addition to low rates of admission and emergency room use and a high rate of outpatient follow-up--all particularly relevant in this era of ACA mandates.
authors.forename: Dianna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dragatsi
authors.forename: Jean-Marie E
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bradford
authors.forename: Claire C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Holderness
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKinnon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States