Reducing Readmissions Part 1: Understanding the Landscape
Presented by Colleen Morley
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Hospital readmissions continue to pose a major challenge to healthcare quality, cost containment, and patient outcomes. This course provides foundational insight into the structure, history, and impact of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), examining how hospital readmissions became a national quality metric and target for value-based reimbursement. Learners will explore the definition and implications of readmissions, the evolution of CMS policy, and the financial penalties and quality ratings tied to excess readmissions. This course is intended for healthcare professionals across acute, ambulatory, and postacute care settings who are involved in discharge planning, transitional care, and quality improvement efforts. By understanding the underlying policy drivers and system-level outcomes, participants will be better equipped to assess their organization’s performance and implement strategies that reduce avoidable readmissions.
Learning Objectives
- Interpret the concept of hospital readmission and its implications for healthcare quality and cost containment
- Outline the development and structure of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) within the US healthcare system
- Analyze key legislative and policy milestones that have shaped national efforts to reduce hospital readmissions
- Determine the financial and quality-of-care outcomes associated with excessive hospital readmissions
- Examine current challenges and emerging trends in hospital readmission reduction strategies
Meet your instructor
Colleen Morley
Dr. Colleen Morley has held positions in acute care as director of case management at several acute care facilities and managed care entities in Illinois, overseeing utilization review, case management, and social services for more than 12 years and piloting quality improvement initiatives focused on readmission reduction and…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. What Is a Hospital Readmission?
This chapter introduces the concept of hospital readmissions, their causes, and the development of Medicare’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) as a policy response to improve care coordination and reduce avoidable returns.
2. History and Policy Origins of Readmission Reduction
Chapter 2 traces the legislative and regulatory evolution of the HRRP from 2012 onward, highlighting how readmissions became a national quality and financial accountability measure.
3. Financial and Quality Implications of Readmissions
This chapter examines the clinical and financial consequences of hospital readmissions, showing how performance penalties and outcome metrics have driven hospitals to enhance discharge planning and postacute follow-up.
4. Current Landscape and Challenges in Readmission Management
The final chapter of this course uses a case study to illustrate how poor discharge coordination impacts patient outcomes and how hospitals can implement systemic strategies to prevent avoidable readmissions.
More courses in this series
Reducing Readmissions Part 1: Understanding the Landscape
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Reducing Readmissions Part 2: Evidence-Based Strategies
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Reducing Readmissions Part 3: Social Determinants of Health
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Reducing Readmissions Part 4: The Case Manager’s Role
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Reducing Readmissions Part 5: Best Practices and Future Directions
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