Graduation Year

2016

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Department Name when Degree Awarded

Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

First Advisor

Mary Clements

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Second Advisor

Donna J. Corley

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Third Advisor

Jill Cornelison

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Abstract

Readmissions to acute care hospitals within 30 days post discharge are a burden to healthcare economy. Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (2007) estimated a cost of $12 billion dollars is spent each year on Medicare patients who are readmitted to an acute care hospital within 30 days post discharge. MedPAC (2007) estimated that 75% of those readmissions are avoidable. A review of the literature was conducted. Thirteen studies were reviewed and analyzed and the results of the literature review indicated there is evidence supportive of implementing telephone follow-up contact with patients discharged from the LTACH to assess for additional needs and to intervene early in the event of health deterioration. The purpose of this project was to implement the post discharge telephone follow up contact for patients discharged from an LTACH that is part of a larger health system. One of the interventions in Project RED was used to implement the post discharge telephone contact. Tools used to collect data were those contained in the Project RED toolkit (Boston University Medical School, 2014). Statistical analyses included frequency distribution tables for demographic data and readmission rate outcome data; and independent tests to analyze the differences between the baseline group and the intervention group. Results indicated that there was no difference in the mean age or LOS between the Baseline and Intervention groups. The results indicated a lower readmission rate in the intervention group compared to the baseline group.

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