RARE Campaign exceeds goals, prevents 7,975 avoidable hospital readmissions in Minnesota

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RARE Campaign

Jun 17, 2014, 04:31 ET

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The RARE (Reducing Avoidable Readmissions Effectively) Campaign, one of the largest coordinated improvement initiatives ever undertaken by the Minnesota health care community, reports that it has prevented 7,975 avoidable hospital readmissions since 2011. By avoiding these readmissions, it is estimated that patients spent 31,900 more nights sleeping comfortably in their own beds instead of at the hospital, and that inpatient medical costs were reduced by about $70 million.

Minnesota's RARE Campaign has prevented 7,975 avoidable hospital readmissions and given patients 31,900 more nights of sleep in their own beds. (PRNewsFoto/RARE Campaign)
Minnesota's RARE Campaign has prevented 7,975 avoidable hospital readmissions and given patients 31,900 more nights of sleep in their own beds. (PRNewsFoto/RARE Campaign)

The RARE Campaign involves 86 hospitals and more than 100 community partners across Minnesota and is led by three operating partners: the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI), the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA), and Stratis Health.

The goals of the campaign were to create better health, provide better care and lower costs in Minnesota. "We have made measurable progress toward achieving these goals. The bottom line of the RARE Campaign is it has improved patient care across Minnesota," said Lawrence Massa, MHA president and CEO.  

The RARE Campaign is unique because it united a broad-based coalition of hospitals and care providers to improve patient care transitions from the hospital to their next setting of care. The campaign participants focused on improving their work in five key areas that, if not managed well, are known to be main contributors to avoidable hospital readmissions:

  1. Comprehensive discharge planning
  2. Medication management
  3. Patient and family engagement
  4. Transition care support
  5. Transition communications

The campaign has gathered momentum since its launch, surpassing its initial goals. In the most recent time period measured, the 4th quarter of 2013, hospitals achieved approximately a 19 percent reduction in avoidable readmissions compared to the start of the campaign.

The official RARE Campaign is concluding in June but the three operating partners continue to collaborate to help Minnesota communities reduce avoidable hospital visits. The collaborative RARE work currently brings together 12 Minnesota medical organizations with inpatient mental health units to help reduce avoidable readmissions and improve transitions into post-acute care for this high-risk patient group.

"We want to sustain the work and success we have had, but also take it to the next level so Minnesota can continue to be a leader in improving health care," said Jennifer Lundblad, president and CEO of Stratis Health.

"In health care today, there is increasing emphasis on the value of care patients receive and rewarding providers for delivering high-quality care as efficiently as possible," said Sanne Magnan, president and CEO, ICSI. "The value of the RARE Campaign is that, rather than individual organizations or hospitals tackling readmissions separately, partners from various health care settings are working together. This collaborative approach enables us to accelerate positive change across Minnesota."

In addition to the three operating partners, supporting partners of the RARE Campaign include the Minnesota Medical Association, MN Community Measurement and VHA Upper Midwest. 

For a short video highlighting the work of the campaign, including real-life examples from Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake and Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of Allina Health in Minneapolis, visit http://youtu.be/Cz8JKEuBnBM.

To learn more about the RARE Campaign, visit www.rarereadmissions.org.

Stratis Health is an independent, nonprofit organization that leads collaboration and innovation in health care quality and safety, and serves as a trusted expert in facilitating improvement for people and communities. Learn more at www.stratishealth.org.

The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement is a non-profit health care improvement organization that unites diverse stakeholders to bring innovation and urgency to improve health, the patient experience and the cost of care. It is comprised of 50 medical group and hospital members representing 8,000 physicians in Minnesota. Learn more at www.icsi.org.

The Minnesota Hospital Association helps 143 hospitals and health systems provide quality care for their patients and communities. Learn more at www.mnhospitals.org.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140617/119106

SOURCE RARE Campaign