Readmissions to impact hospital Medicare payments

Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012

Hospital Practice News

As Medicare plans to tie payment for hospitals to readmission numbers—and even penalizing facilities for readmissions deemed unavoidable—as part of the Affordable Care Act, a recent story by the Washington Post examines efforts by hospitals and health policy experts to determine why readmissions occur so frequently.

Researchers are discovering that breakdowns occur on multiple levels, with the most critical failure in the discharge process, the Post reports. The story notes that some hospitals are implementing a program called Project RED, for "Re-Engineered Discharge," which clinical trials have shown to help reduce readmission rates by 30 percent.

Physicians can view a webcast from the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS) titled "Reducing the Readmission Rate in a Hospital." The webcast is a recording of an education session that took place during the 2011 AMA-OMSS Annual Assembly Meeting. View other webcasts from the AMA-OMSS.

Manual helps physicians with employment agreements

With more and more established physicians, as well as those completing training, becoming employees of hospitals, medical groups or affiliate organizations, it's important that they enhance their understanding and negotiating position as they navigate employment contracts and opportunities in these practice settings.

A manual from the AMA, the "Annotated Model Physician-Hospital Employment Agreement," can help. This resource addresses the specific needs of established physicians and those completing training who are preparing to negotiate an employment contract with a hospital or related entity.

"Doctors have got to protect themselves," said Jay Gregory, MD, chair of the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section Governing Council, in an American Medical News story about the manual. "Hopefully, this manual will provide physicians with a better understanding of their legal rights, and they will be able to go into situations with their eyes open."

AMA members can access the manual for free; nonmembers can purchase it through the AMA Bookstore. If you're not a member, join today.

Comment on proposed National Patient Safety Goal

The Joint Commission is seeking comment on a proposed National Patient Safety Goal for its Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Programs. The proposed National Patient Safety Goal seeks to minimize the overuse of tests, treatments and procedures to reduce the risk of patient harm.

The proposed National Patient Safety Goal does not appear to require physician involvement in the process of defining "appropriate use" of such procedures or in the development of performance improvement tools and methods to reduce inappropriate use.

Physicians are encouraged to submit comments (login required) by today to the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section Governing Council for inclusion in the AMA's response to the Joint Commission. Physicians also can submit comments directly to the Joint Commission by Jan. 24.

Feedback needed on revised standard for EDs

Physicians are encouraged to issue comments on proposed revisions to a Joint Commission standard addressing patient flow in the emergency department (ED). Among other changes, the proposed standard would require hospitals to measure and set goals for the components of the patient flow process and for mitigating and managing the boarding of patients who come through the emergency department.

OMSS education program webcasts available

Learn about reducing readmissions, improving patient safety, accountable care organizations and leadership by viewing online webcasts from the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section. Physicians can claim AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^™ for watching the webcasts. Titles include:

"Reducing the Readmission Rate in a Hospital" (1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit)^™
"From Statewide to Bedside Transformation" (1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit)^™
"An Update on Accountable Care Organizations" (1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^™)
"Leadership in Healthcare: If Not Physicians, Then Who?" (2.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^™)

AMA members can view these webcasts for free; nonmembers can watch them for $75 each. If you're not an AMA member, join today.

The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA-OMSS Interim Meeting proceedings now available

The official proceedings of the 58th AMA Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS) Interim Assembly Meeting are now available on the AMA-OMSS Web page. A meeting summary presentation also is accessible for AMA-OMSS representatives to provide an update on the meeting to their hospital medical staffs.