Download the InfographicAt the Connecticut Health Foundation, we think of hospital readmissions as a “canary in the coal mine” health care quality measure because unexpectedly needing to return to the hospital after a discharge signals a range of connected problems that tell us the system is not working optimally:
- Pain and suffering in the lives of patients
- Higher impact in vulnerable groups (e.g., people of color, people with disabilities)
- Costs to consumers and payers
- Missed prevention opportunities spanning the health care system and communities
This infographic provides an overview of why readmissions are a problem in Connecticut, including as a health equity issue, and some promising solutions to pursue in order to lower unplanned readmissions.
Contributors
Millicent Cripe, policy and communications intern, Connecticut Health Foundation
Lorenz Finison, PhD, Sigma Works
Elizabeth Krause, VP of policy and communications, Connecticut Health Foundation
References and Resources
A special thank you to Shih-Yieh Ho, PhD of Qualidigm for running the Connecticut Medicare data analysis in the infographic
Aseltine, R.H., Yan, J., Fleischman, S., Katz, M., DeFrancesco, M. (2015). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Hospital Readmissions After Delivery. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 126 (5), 1040-1047.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Guide to Preventing Readmissions among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Medicare Beneficiaries