Since July of this year, hospital readmission rates for Medicare patients with heart
attack, heart failure and pneumonia have been posted to CMS' Hospital Compare (www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov).
The transparency of this information combined with the potential healthcare savings achievable through hospital readmission rate reductions has led most healthcare organizations to take a hard look at their readmission rates and implement programs to reduce these rates.
Listen to pre-conference comments from Mary Cooley.
During Reducing Avoidable Hospital Readmissions: A Case Study from Priority Health, a 45-minute webinar on November 18, 2009, now available as a CD-ROM, via On Demand Web access or as a training DVD, Mary Cooley, manager of case and disease management at Priority Health, provided the inside details on the strategies that Priority Health is using to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions.
A 2009 analysis by Johns Hopkins University and Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) researchers found that Priority Health had significantly lower rates of unnecessary hospitalizations than traditional fee-for-service Medicare — 6.94 percent compared to the 18.6 percent readmission rate for traditional Medicare.
Researchers also found that preventable hospital admissions and ER visits were also lower among PriorityMedicareSM members when compared to the national average of traditional Medicare.
After reporting such robust results on hospital readmission rate reductions for its Medicare Advantage product line, Priority Health has rolled out the program this year across its entire book of business — and is reporting success across all populations.
During the webinar, Cooley shared how to:
- Identify patients at risk of readmission;
- Align reimbursement and payment incentives for readmission reduction programs;
- Work with community partners to achieve hospital readmission reductions; and
- Structure coordinated, patient-centered care delivery to reduce readmission rates.
Have questions on our webinar and/or webinar formats? Visit our webinar FAQ.
You can listen to this program right in your office and enjoy significant savings – no travel time or hassle; no hotel expenses. It’s so convenient! Invite your staff members to gather around a conference table to listen to the CD, DVD or the On Demand version.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS CONFERENCE?
Presidents/CEOs, CFOs, chief operating officers, vice presidents, medical directors, reimbursement executives, analysts, business development executives, consultants, directors, executive directors, financial/business managers, and strategic planning executives.
ABOUT OUR PANELIST:
Mary Cooley
|  | Priority Health's care transitions program for hospitalized members is front-loaded with numerous touch points to support the transition from hospital to home.
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Mary Cooley, R.N., B.S.N., M.S., C.C.M., is currently the senior manager of outpatient case and disease management at Priority Health and has served in various clinical leadership capacities for Priority Health over the past 11 years.
Priority Health, a nationally recognized health benefits company based in Michigan, serves more than half a million people with a broad portfolio of products including commercial and government health plans. Priority Health has been recognized as one of America's Best Health Plans by U.S. News & World Report and NCQA.
Cooley has practiced in various clinical roles for over 30 years, including director of nursing quality assurance at a 500+ bed hospital in Chicago and corporate healthcare administrator responsible for benefit administration as well as health promotion programs for Sunbeam Corporation in Oak Brook, Ill.
Her recent accomplishments include recipient of the national leadership award in asthma management from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, recipient of the Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP) Pinnacle Award for work in chronic conditions, and has recently been nominated for the Spectrum Health Synergy award for her work in heart failure. Cooley has participated as a speaker in many national conferences as well as webinars.
Cooley received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wis., and completed her Masters of Science in Public Administration at DePaul University, Chicago.
