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Home Health by Hale Makua is keeping more patients at home and out of the hospital, according to an announcement.
In a recent acute-care hospitalization monthly report from the Home Health Quality Improvement organization, Home Health by Hale Makua earned a hospitalization rate of 8.3 percent in December and 8.9 percent in January. Those are under the state averages of 18.4 percent and 22.1 percent and national averages of 23.9 percent and 27.1 percent for the same months, respectively, the Maui agency reported.
Nationally, almost 20 percent of patients discharged from hospitals are readmitted within 30 days, the agency said. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has made reducing preventable readmissions a top priority for the Medicare program, home health reported.
"Through adoption of performance measures, financial incentives, and financial penalties, (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) is increasing pressure on hospitals and partners along the health care continuum to adopt transition-of-care strategies that prevent avoidable hospital readmissions," the agency said.
It added that: "For home health agencies like Home Health by Hale Makua, preventing readmission to the hospital is an increasingly urgent priority not only because (it's been) made it a pressing issue, but also because individuals typically prefer receiving care in their own homes."
Medicare's new value-based purchasing strategies are creating a direct link between readmission and reimbursement, it reported.
Home Health by Hale Makua is Medicare-certified and accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Partner. It has been providing skilled nursing and therapy services on Maui for more than 45 years.
For more information, go to www.halemakua.org/home-health or call (808) 244-3661.