News in brief - Aug. 8, 2011

Patient "coaches" slash hospital readmissions by 36% - High court will not hear medical resident's lawsuit

Patient "coaches" slash hospital readmissions by 36%

Hospital patients with cardiac and respiratory conditions who receive 30 days of follow-up from a "coach" are 36% less likely to be readmitted within a month after being discharged.

The study of more than 15,000 patients at six Rhode Island acute-care hospitals, published July 25 in Archives of Internal Medicine, found that 20% of patients who did not get coaching were readmitted within 30 days. Less than 13% of patients who had coaching -- one hospital visit, one home visit and two follow-up phone calls discussing how to track and manage their health -- had to return to the hospital within the month.

The findings add to the evidence that dedicated efforts to improve care transitions can help patients better manage their health and avoid the hospital, said the study (archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/171/14/1232).

High court will not hear medical resident's lawsuit

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review an appellate court's decision finding that a hospital did not fail to accommodate a medical resident's Asperger's syndrome.

Martin Jakubowski, who has Asperger's syndrome, sued Christ Hospital after he was fired in 2007, claiming that the Cincinnati facility failed to accommodate his disability in violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Jakubowski had difficulty with communication and organizational skills, court records show.

In December 2010, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the hospital did nothing wrong before firing Jakubowski. The hospital acted in good faith by trying to assist the resident, including offering alternatives, the court said.

The Supreme Court in late June declined to review the case, allowing the appeals court decision to stand.