Appropriate Follow Up To Reduce Readmissions
By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer
Elmhurst Clinic aims to utilize population health management to reduce readmissions
By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer
Elmhurst Clinic, affiliated with Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare (EMHC), recently deployed automated care management technology from Phytel to reduce the rate of hospital readmissions. The use of the population health management suite will enable the multispecialty practice to ensure appropriate follow-up for discharged patients.
One of the premier medical groups in DuPage and Cook counties of the suburban Chicago area, Elmhurst Clinic boasts 122 practitioners in 21 specialties, with care extended at seven locations. Its affiliation with Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare, a three-hospital integrated health system, provides access to leading medical information and technology. The practice employs a hospitalist program to separate inpatient from outpatient care and to allow a consistent presence in the hospital. Thirteen hospitalists at the Joint Commission-accredited Elmhurst Memorial Hospital oversee the care of hospitalized Elmhurst Clinic patients, and have access to patient records while maintaining constant communication with the primary care physician.
Elmhurst Clinic was already using Phytel’s SaaS to identify gaps in care, communicate with patients regarding preventative or chronic care, automate care management, and measure effectiveness in population health management. The next step was to utilize Phytel’s technology to help case managers and nurses who support the Clinic’s hospitalists. Between 14 and 40 discharged patients are contacted daily by team members who assess health and well-being. “Expanding our relationship with Phytel was an easy decision,” said Claudia Webb, Executive Director of Elmhurst Clinic. “By precisely targeting patients at high risk for readmission and automating outreach to them, Phytel allows our staff to spend less time attempting to contact discharged patients and more time providing specific care to those in need.”
Phytel’s platform compares patient EHRs and clinical rule sets to identify high risk discharged patients. Automated daily health assessments are delivered by phone and patient feedback is gathered to reduce readmissions as well as improve Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. “Elmhurst Clinic is a regional care leader with the vision and leadership needed to succeed with population health management,” said Steve Schelhammer, CEO of Phytel. “We’re proud that our platform is not only helping them improve quality and patient satisfaction today, it’s also preparing them to succeed in the future of value-based care.”
SOURCE: Marketwired