RightReturn. Partnering to reduce the high rate of hospital readmission for dialysis-dependent patients

• Published in: Nephrology news & issues Vol. 26; no. 3; p. 20
• Main Authors: Wingard, Rebecca L, Chan, Kevin E, Hakim, Raymond
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2012
• Subjects: Anemia - epidemiology; Anemia - prevention & control; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - epidemiology; Kidney Failure, Chronic - therapy; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - organization & administration; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - legislation & jurisprudence; Patient Readmission - legislation & jurisprudence; Patient Readmission - statistics & numerical data; Program Evaluation; Renal Dialysis - statistics & numerical data; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0896-1263

The rate of rehospitalization is at a critical level. Twenty percent of all Medicare patients are rehospitalized within 30 days of discharge, and this rate is even higher (36%) for end-stage renal disease patients. Dialysis-dependent patients are commonly discharged from the hospital with a decline in various health measures (such as hemoglobin, albumin, and estimated dry weight) when compared to pre-hospital values, making the common response to resume previous orders" in the outpatient setting inadequate. Both quality of care and financial penalties by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have set the stage for partnerships between dialysis providers and hospitals to develop strategies to reduce readmissions for ESRD patients, and provide for the "RightReturn" to the outpatient setting with resumption of their daily lives at home in optimal health.