Synergy Home Care's Ruston Office Beats National Averages in Patient Re-Hospitalization and Satisfaction

RUSTON, La., July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Synergy Home Care's Ruston office, a Medicare-certified home health care agency located at 2201 N. Service Road East, is pleased to report patient re-hospitalization scores that significantly beat the national averages and patient satisfaction ratings that exceed the national average in multiple categories.

The office's 30-day re-hospitalization rate for patients with congestive heart failure is 10.26%, while the national average stands at 24.7%. For all patients and all diagnoses, Synergy Home Care's re-hospitalization rate is 12.09%, compared to the national average of 20%, reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Medicare-only patients) for the period 4/1/12 through 3/31/13.

In addition, when it comes to patient satisfaction, Synergy Home Care is ranked well above state and national averages. Fazzi Associates' National Patient Satisfaction Benchmark System reports high marks for the office in their patient communication and their commitment to discussing patients' medications, pain and home safety with them. Ninety percent of patients who responded gave Synergy Home Care the highest overall rating for a home health agency, which is a 9/10 on a scale of one to 10 (reporting period: January through December 2012; reported April 2013).

"We believe the experience and compassion of our team really makes a difference in patients' lives and, ultimately, in their outcomes," explains Wendy Poe, RN, Director of Operations. Synergy Home Care matches patients with the clinicians who best suit their home health care needs and treatment plan, whether it's a registered nurse, physical therapist, speech language pathologist or psychiatric registered nurse.

"Because our company is committed to preventing avoidable hospital readmissions for our patients, we have implemented a Transitional Care Program that outlines evidence-based standards of care for those with high-risk, chronic diagnoses like heart failure and cardio-pulmonary disease," Poe says. Synergy Home Care's Transitional Care Model focuses on four pillars of care:  medication self-management; appropriate follow up with primary care physician/specialist; a personal health record; and coaching patients to recognize important warning signs/symptoms of their disease and how to respond.

"Our clinicians take time to educate patients on how to be proactive in the day-to-day management of their chronic symptoms. Patients can become better prepared, knowing what to do and when, to avoid repeat, unscheduled trips to the doctor's office or hospital emergency department," adds Poe.

With 17 offices across Louisiana, Synergy Home Care, a Senior Home Care company headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., has been treating seniors with quality home health care services for more than 15 years. Synergy Home Care in Louisiana and Senior Home Care in Florida have 47 branch locations and 1,800 employees, combined. Working in conjunction with patients' physicians, the companies' clinicians treat more than 50,000 seniors each year in their homes and assisted/independent living facilities. For more information, visit www.seniorhomecare.net.

SOURCE Synergy Home Care