Files and links (1)
Goyal_Dheeraj_20111,012.01 kB
PDF Restricted Access, VIEWABLE UPON REQUEST: contact archives@drexel.edu
Thesis
To analyze the effect of introduction of post-discharge follow-up phone calls and weekly educational group sessions policy for heart failure patients by Hahnemann University Hospital on its 30-day re-hospitalization rates for these patients
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Drexel University
Jun 2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-3620
Abstract
Background: Heart failure (HF) or inability of the heart to pump sufficient amount of blood to other organs of the body is a chronic progressive condition, whose rising prevalence among the American population has become a major public health concern. Although, our country spends nearly 40 billion dollars each year to manage this increasingly prevalent condition, the overall quality of such care remains questionable at best. Due to burgeoning costs of healthcare services amidst a struggling economy, development of valid and viable indicators to measure the quality and efficiency of healthcare services has become the need of the day. 30-day readmission rates of hospitals are now being widely used as one such indicator. Aims and Objectives: In an effort to improve net patient health outcomes, Hahnemann University Hospital (HUH) adopted a new policy in September, 2010 to make follow-up telephone calls to all discharged HF patients. This study aims to measure the effectiveness of these calls in improving such outcomes, using 30-day readmission rates of HUH as a sole measure of its quality of care. Methods: We collected deidentified and/or publically available call log data from the nursing director of heart failure unit of HUH. We compared that data with monthly trends in the hospital's 30-day readmission rates for HF patients to study the potential impact of follow-up telephone calls on such readmission rates. Results: To our surprise, we found no specific or stable changes in monthly 30-day readmission rates of the hospital, after implementation of the new policy. In fact, the readmission rates either remained almost the same or increased further after this new intervention. The average length of stay of HF patients in the hospital followed a similar trend, although an increase was noticed in the number of telephone calls attempted by the hospital staff during each month, after September, 2010. Conclusions: As there is no way quality of care can decline by the use of better follow-up procedures, the results of this study cast significant doubt on the ability of 30-day readmission rates of hospitals to serve as sole valid indicators of their quality of patient care.
Metrics
20 File views/ downloads
19 Record Views
Details
- Title
- To analyze the effect of introduction of post-discharge follow-up phone calls and weekly educational group sessions policy for heart failure patients by Hahnemann University Hospital on its 30-day re-hospitalization rates for these patients
- Creators
- Dheeraj Goyal - DU
- Contributors
- Mary Duden (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Public Health (2002-2015); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 3620; 991014632933604721