Effects of Implementing a Health Team Communication Redesign on Hospital Readmissions Within 30 Days
Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
3-27-2019
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons
Source Publication
Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
Source ISSN
1545-102X
Abstract
Background and Rationale
Poor communication between health team members can interfere with timely, coordinated preparation for hospital discharge. Research on daily bedside interprofessional health team rounds and nursing bedside shift handoff reports provides evidence that these strategies can improve communication.
Aims
To improve health team communication and collaboration about hospital discharge; improve patient experience of discharge measured by patient‐reported quality of discharge teaching, readiness for discharge, and postdischarge coping difficulty; and reduce readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits postdischarge.
Methods
A two‐sample pre‐ and postintervention design provided baseline data for redesign of health team communication processes and comparison data for evaluation of the new process’ impact. Health team members (n = 105 [pre], n = 95 [post]) from two surgical units of an academic medical center in the midwestern United States provided data on discharge‐related communication and collaboration. Patients (n = 413 [pre], n = 191 [post]) provided data on their discharge experience (quality of discharge teaching, readiness for discharge, postdischarge coping difficulty) and outcomes (readmissions, ED visits). Chi‐square and t tests were used for unadjusted pre‐ and postintervention comparisons. Logistic regression of readmissions with a matched pre‐ and postintervention sample included adjustments for patient characteristics and hospitalization factors.
Results
Readmissions decreased from 18% to 12% (p < .001); ED visits decreased from 4.4% to 1.5% (p < .001). Changes in health team communication and collaboration and patients’ experience of discharge were minimal.
Discussion
The targeted outcomes of readmission and ED visits improved after the health team communication process redesign. The process indicators did not improve; potential explanations include unmeasured hospital and unit discharge, and other care process changes during the study timeframe.
Linking Evidence to Practice
Evidence from daily interprofessional team bedside rounding and bedside shift report studies was translated into a redesign of health team communication for discharge. These strategies support readmission reduction efforts.
Recommended Citation
Opper, Kristi; Beiler, Joseph; Yakusheva, Olga; and Weiss, Marianne E., "Effects of Implementing a Health Team Communication Redesign on Hospital Readmissions Within 30 Days" (2019). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 641.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/641
Comments
Accepted version. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, Vol. 16, No. 2 (March 27, 2019): 131-130. DOI. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons. Used with permission.