Efforts to Reduce Readmissions Associated with Heart Failure and AMI Vary Widely

Use of 10 recommended practices to reduce readmissions associated with heart failure and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) varies widely among hospitals, according to the results of a study published in the August 2012 Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study, which surveyed more than 500 U.S. hospitals, found that the participating facilities had only implemented an average of 4.8 of the practices. Although 90% of the hospitals surveyed had a written objective in place to reduce heart failure and AMI-related readmissions, less than 3% had implemented all 10 of the practices. The data indicated that using quality improvement teams to enhance care for AMI patients (87.0%), monitoring 30-day readmission rates (94.6%), and partnering with home care agencies and nursing homes to reduce readmissions (67.9%) were relatively common practices; however, less than half of the participating hospitals coordinated with community physicians or physician groups (49.3%) and other hospitals (23.5%) to reduce readmissions.