Care Transitions


As we work directly with practitioners and facilities to implement advanced evidence-based, data-driven quality improvement interventions and tools, we also support the engagement of patients, families, and caregivers to foster person-centered care principles including care transition coordination.
From 2010-2016, the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MEDPAC) reported a decrease in the 30-day readmission rate from 16.7% to 15.6%. Of those patients who are re-admitted, the MEDPAC estimated that approximately 61% of the readmissions were preventable. Our work on improving coordination of care across settings is designed to reduce preventable readmissions, including readmissions from post-acute settings back to the hospital.
Coordination Across the Care Continuum
As the IPRO QIN-QIO, we work across the care continuum to connect health care providers with community-based organizations. We work with eligible hospitals, nursing centers, outpatient clinical providers, and other key stakeholders. Contact us to learn more.
We assist providers in identifying community-specific needs and opportunities, sharing best practices, and supporting interventions that enhance the overall health of the community.
We help develop innovative solutions to improve care from hospital discharge, to rehabilitation, to home health care, and back into the community with additional supports.
We are committed to assisting eligible providers in implementing evidence-based and data-driven methodologies to support sustainable, innovative improvements and enhanced resources for the communities and patients they serve.
Goals
The framework of our approach to improving Care Transitions underpins our overall goals of:
- Reducing hospital admissions and readmissions
- Decreasing community-based adverse drug events (ADEs)
- Understanding and addressing the unique needs of super utilizers
- Monitoring access-to-care issues that may result in increased hospital utilization

Clinical and Quality Improvement Offerings
Technical Assistance
- Facilitate and support interpretation of community-based root cause analyses
- Support evidence-based and best practice intervention selection
- Identify meaningful and feasible measurement strategies
- Evaluate effectiveness of interventions and support innovative strategies that sustain goals
Tools and Education
- On-demand, web-based education from recognized experts
- Connection with peer providers for shared learning
- Benchmarking and feedback data reports for comparative analysis
- Educational resources for clinicians, staff, patients, and residents to support enhanced care coordination
Highlighted Tools and Resources
Addressing Drivers
- Information Transfer
- Patient and Family Activation
- Standard and Known Care Processes
- Trauma Informed Care
- Social Determinants of Health
- Medication Reconciliation
- Substance Use
- Access to Care
Evidence-Based Models
- Care Transitions Intervention (CTI)
- INTERACT
- Project BOOST
- Project RED
- Transitional Care
- LACE Index Scoring Tool
- STAAR Readmissions Diagnostic Tool
- STAAR How to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Community Settings
- STAAR How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Home Health Care
- STAAR How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to the Clinical Office Practice
- STAAR How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Skilled Nursing Facilities
Best Practices
- Connecting with Community Resources
- Engaging Caregivers
- Practicing Teachback
- Screening for Social Determinants of Health