Focusing Resources on Reducing Readmissions Produces Positive Results for Hospitals

DALLAS, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Loopback Analytics, the industry leader in providing hospitals with reliable, cost-effective, technology-enabled solutions to stay connected with patients after discharge, reported today that clients utilizing its Readmission Reduction Service® are experiencing significant reductions in unplanned readmissions for three diagnoses - Congestive Heart Failure, Acute Myocardial Infarction (heart attack) and Pneumonia.

"We are pleased with outcome data from the first quarter of analysis," said Neil Smiley, Loopback CEO. "Those hospitals that are effectively partnering with us to manage the discharge process and follow-up with discharged patients once they are home, are seeing readmissions fall for these three diagnoses. The key to success is identifying and enrolling eligible patients and monitoring their status on a regular basis through automated and personal communication."

The report highlights individual hospital successes including a  512-bed participating hospital who experienced a 31% reduction in readmissions for heart failure  patients. Another participating 266-bed hospital saw readmission rates for heart failure patients drop a dramatic 46% for the reporting period. The hospital also experienced a 21.4% reduction in readmissions for pneumonia patients.

Loopback's Readmission Reduction Service®, utilizing its proprietary suite of analytics, pinpoints patients who are at high risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge. Following the Loopback discharge and transition-to-home model, a participating hospital contacts the patient just prior to discharge, enrolls him or her in a follow-up program for 30 days and, using automated technology and care coordinators, carefully monitors the patient's progress and immediately intervenes with timely, appropriate action if the patient indicates he or she is not recovering as expected.

Smiley explains that the success a hospital has in reducing readmissions is directly correlated to the resources it devotes to the effort and to its compliance with Loopback program protocols. Integrating Loopback's unique risk-scoring technology with existing care coordination efforts enables the hospital to transition from costly manual systems with a one-size-fits-all solution to a highly-effective, technology-based, targeted program that focuses the right post-discharge interventions on the right patients at the right time.

Readmission rates for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction and pneumonia are of particular concern to hospitals because beginning in 2012 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will begin reducing reimbursements to hospitals with the highest unplanned readmission rates. "If a hospital finds itself in the lowest/bottom quartile for readmissions for these three diagnoses, the negative impact to its bottom line could be significant, perhaps in the millions of dollars," says Smiley.  

About Loopback Analytics: Loopback Analytics, based in Dallas, Texas, provides hospitals with reliable, cost-effective, technology-enabled solutions to stay connected with patients after discharge to improve clinical outcomes, reduce readmissions, manage risk and improve patient satisfaction. Easily integrated with current hospital operations, Loopback's solutions place minimal demands on clinical and IT resources. For more information, visit www.Loopbackllc.com.

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SOURCE Loopback Analytics