CMS
Releases Mortality, Readmission Rates to Hospitals
The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on April
10 released performance on six key measures to all U.S. hospitals,
in preparation for public announcement of these measures this
summer. The measures are 30-day mortality and 30-day readmissions
for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and community-acquired
pneumonia. Members are encouraged to find the report for their
hospital and to check their specific rates for each of the
measures.
The ACC will assist members in reducing their readmission
rates though its Hospital to Home (H2H) program, which will
officially launch when the CMS measures are publicly released
this summer. H2H aims to reduce 30 day all-cause readmissions
for heart failure and AMI by 20 percent nationally by December
2012. To learn more or enroll, log in to www.acc.org/h2h/enrollment,
send a question to hospital2home@acc.org,
or view a CVN segment
on the issue.
CMS
Chooses Communities for Readmission Program
The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on April
13 announced the 14 communities chosen for the Care Transitions
Project, a program designed to reduce unnecessary hospital
readmissions. The program will focus on methods of preventing
readmissions on a local level, said Barry Staube, M.D., chief
medical office for CMS. Each of the 14 communities will be
led by a state Quality Improvement Organization to implement:
hospital and community system-wide interventions; interventions
that target specific diseases or conditions; and interventions
that target specific reasons for admission. The Care Transitions
Project will continue through summer 2011. More
information, including the 14 communities chosen, is available
online.
FDA
to Review Older Devices The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on April 8 that it
will require some device manufacturers to prove that their
“legacy devices” – devices approved before
1976 – are safe and effective, the New
York Times reports. Twenty seven device types, including
some external defibrillators and pacemaker parts, will be
reviewed by the agency. FDA has requested additional information
within the next 120 days from the device makers, and has begun
a review of two of the device types. It is unclear how long
the process will take, an FDA spokesperson said.
QUALITY
Patient
Empowerment, Prevention Necessary, ACC CEO Writes
ACC CEO
Jack Lewin, M.D., was featured as a guest commenter at the
Denver
Post discussing the importance of prevention and
patient empowerment. He writes, “As physicians we need
to empower our patients, and our patients need to take responsibility
for their health through preventative measures. Preventative
health care can and should be part of health care reform because
it not only leads to an overall better quality of life, but
it reduces individual and taxpayer costs.” He adds,
“In the current economic instability, we certainly need
cost reduction.” Learn more about ACC’s health
care reform efforts at: qualityfirst.acc.org.
