ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

How to Reduce Readmission Rates for Otolaryngology Patients

by Karen Appold • September 30, 2015

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

Developing partnerships with community groups required a new way of thinking, Dr. Genden said. For example, the treatment paradigm needed to extend beyond the academic center, because this should only amount to a small portion of time in the patient’s cycle of care. Most of the time, patients receive radiation chemotherapy and surveillance in the community. “By doing this, in addition to increasing communications with physicians, the patient receives better care that is much more cost effective,” he added.

You Might Also Like

  • Otolaryngology Readmission Rates Reported
  • Post-Discharge Care Fragmentation Leads to Increased Risks for Patients with HN Cancer
  • Risk Factors in Readmission for Hospitalized Otolaryngology Patients
  • Depression Affects Two-Year Survival Rates in Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Explore This Issue
October 2015

The center also instituted the Patient First Program, in which a physician assistant or member of the nursing staff interviews every patient before he or she is seen at the cancer center to understand co-morbidities, social barriers, and financial barriers. Subsequently, these obstacles can be managed early on in the care process. Potential risk factors for readmission are identified and tackled.

A third approach involves the center forming hospital-wide readmission committees. These working groups are designed to identify patients at risk for readmission, including those with high-volume co-morbidities, those with highly complex diseases such as head and neck cancer, and patients who have less than ideal support at home and less than ideal access to community care, pinpointing patients who may have been missed in the Patient First Program process. The working group assigns these patients to community physicians and suggests community support resources to prevent them from being readmitted to the hospital.

In reviewing its readmissions, the Head and Neck Institute at Mount Sinai Health System determined that approximately 80% could have been avoided if problems had been managed in the community earlier in the process. Combining the three approaches has decreased the number of hospital visits from 2.7 to 1.3 per patient, largely because much of the workup and evaluation is coordinated with the patient before a visit, Dr. Genden said.

Using a Pre-Admission Clinic

Dr. Dziegielewski believes that preventing hospital readmissions begins with the decision for surgery and continues through the hospital stay and the post-discharge period. “By having patients attend a pre-admission clinic, readmissions can potentially be prevented,” he said. In fact, a study by Dr. Dziegielewski and his colleagues showed that patients who did not attend a pre-operative clinic had an eight-fold greater chance of a 30-day readmission (Head Neck. Mar 9, 2015. doi: 10.1002/hed.24030).

“The clinic performs a battery of baseline laboratory and imaging tests to screen patients for correctable issues before surgery,” he said. “It also directs patients to appropriate medical subspecialists for optimization of chronic medical conditions during the perioperative period.” The clinic also employs an anesthesia team member who plans ahead for complex procedures, such as a free-flap case.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 | Single Page

Filed Under: Features Tagged With: hospital, readmissionIssue: October 2015

You Might Also Like:

  • Otolaryngology Readmission Rates Reported
  • Post-Discharge Care Fragmentation Leads to Increased Risks for Patients with HN Cancer
  • Risk Factors in Readmission for Hospitalized Otolaryngology Patients
  • Depression Affects Two-Year Survival Rates in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Otolaryngologists Have a Major Role to Play in Treating COVID-19 Long-Haulers
    • Weaning Patients Off of PPIs
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Podcasts Becoming More Popular Method of Education for Otolaryngologists
    • How to Embrace Optimism in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Tips on How to Approach Conversations with Patients about the COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Voice and Hearing During Telemedicine Sessions
    • Routine Postoperative Adjunct Treatments Unnecessary for Idiopathic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

Polls

Have you spoken with your patients about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.