Improving Transitions to Postacute Care for Elderly Patients Using a Novel Video-Conferencing Program: ECHO-Care Transitions
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2017
Abstract
PURPOSE: Within 30 days of hospital discharge to a skilled nursing facility, older adults are at high risk for death, re-hospitalization, and high-cost health care. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a novel videoconference program called Extension for Community Health Outcomes-Care Transitions (ECHO-CT) that connects an interdisciplinary hospital-based team with clinicians at skilled nursing facilities reduces patient mortality, hospital readmission, skilled nursing facility length of stay, and 30-day health care costs.
METHODS: We undertook a prospective cohort study comparing cost and health care utilization outcomes between ECHO-CT facilities and matched comparisons from January 2014-December 2014.
RESULTS: Thirty-day readmission rates were significantly lower in the intervention group (odds ratio 0.57; 95% CI, 0.34-0.96; P-value .04), as were the 30-day total health care cost ($2602.19 lower; 95% CI, -$4133.90 to -$1070.48; P-value
CONCLUSION: Patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities participating in the ECHO-CT program had shorter lengths of stay, lower 30-day rehospitalization rates, and lower 30-day health care costs compared with those in matched skilled nursing facilities delivering usual care. ECHO-CT may improve patient transitions to postacute care at lower overall cost.
Recommended Citation
Moore AB, Krupp JE, Dufour AB, Sircar M, Travison TG, Abrams A, Farris G, Mattison MLP, Lipsitz LA. Improving Transitions to Postacute Care for Elderly Patients Using a Novel Video-Conferencing Program: ECHO-Care Transitions. Am J Med. 2017 Oct;130(10):1199-1204. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.04.041. Epub 2017 May 25. PMID: 28551043.
