National Campaign Launched to Reduce Unnecessary Hospitalizations Among Home Health Patients
Texans Could Save $13.5 Million with One Less Hospitalization Per Home Health Agency Annually
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Emilie Fennell
(512) 334-1649
efennell@txqio.sdps.org
1-800-725-9216
Austin, TX – January 10, 2007 – TMF Health Quality Institute and Texas Association for Home Care (TAHC) have joined the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the 2007 Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign. The goal of this campaign is to reduce the number of avoidable hospitalizations among home health patients.
“More than 1 million home care patients are admitted to U.S. hospitals each year,” said Dr. Abraham Delgado, medical director for TMF. “A great number of these hospitalizations could have been avoided by taking preventive steps focused on improved communication and recognition of early warning signs. There are great emotional and financial costs associated with hospitalization. When it can be avoided with better quality care, unnecessary burdens can be prevented for all involved.”
Leading the campaign efforts in Texas, TMF and TAHC are reaching out to the 1,700 Medicare home health agencies in the state and encouraging them to participate. Texas currently has the fifth highest rate of hospitalization for home health patients of the 53 U.S. states and territories. The average hospitalization in Texas costs the Medicare Trust Fund $7,959. If every home health agency in Texas were able to prevent one unnecessary hospitalization per year, more than $13.5 million could be saved annually. This equates to a 1.6% reduction in the number of hospitalizations among Texas home health patients.
“Doctors, hospitals, and home care agencies together can help prevent unnecessary hospital visits and provide a higher quality care for their patients,” said Anita Bradberry, Executive Director of TAHC. “With common-sense education and cooperation the number of unnecessary hospital visits in the U.S. can and will decline, saving the taxpayers millions every year. With that goal in mind, I encourage every home health agency to sign up and join this effort.”
The campaign seeks to unite the home care community under the shared vision of reducing avoidable hospitalizations to improve patient quality of care. This will be accomplished through the distribution of information and other resources. Home health agencies are being recruited for the program locally in each state by home health associations, such as TAHC, and Quality Improvement Organizations, like TMF, which have combined to serve as Local Area Networks for Excellence.
Participation is free for home health agencies and includes individual agency reports and monthly educational resources with continuing education credit. Registration for the campaign begins January 11, 2007, at noon and is ongoing. Agencies that register by midnight, January 12, will have a “Premier” status designation and logo to recognize their support of the national campaign from its onset. To register, agencies can visit the.
About TMF Health Quality Institute
TMF Health Quality Institute, formerly Texas Medical Foundation, is an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit consulting company focused on promoting quality health and health care through contracts with federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations. TMF partners with health care providers in a variety of settings to ensure that every person receives the appropriate care, every time.