WALTHAM, MA – More than 4,400 physicians have enlisted in an initiative – launched by QuantiaMD, the online physician community, and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SMH), which represents hospitalists – that's focused on helping high-risk patients achieve better outcomes and avoid preventable readmissions.

QuantiaMD and SMH created the initiative in conjunction with a joint study that found that more than nine out of ten clinicians believe reducing readmissions is an important topic, but few have the resources at hand to tackle it.

[See also: CMS adds mortality, readmission data to its online hospital rating site.]

The study, which polled more than 1,000 clinicians, found that 71 percent of respondents felt their organizations' systems and procedures for preventing readmissions among high-risk patients were not very effective, and more than half believed that the current training and educational opportunities at their institutions did not adequately focus on reducing readmissions.

To help address these issues, SHM and QuantiaMD created the Expert Practice Series: Addressing the Top Hospital Readmissions, which features interactive presentations narrated by experts covering topics such as the dangers of hospital discharge, improving the discharge transition and the impact of health reform.

The Expert Practice Series incorporates free downloadable tools from SHM's Project BOOST, including a risk assessment screener, a transition record, an ROI assessment and patient education.

"The discharge process is disjointed and not standardized for most patients in the hospital," said Mark V. Williams, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and principal investigator, Project BOOST. "We are working with QuantiaMD to address a number of discharge issues which can impact the safe transition of patients from the hospital to home."

[See also: AHRQ funds project to reduce heart failure readmissions.]

A key objective of this joint effort is the distribution of Project BOOST tools. Project BOOST is a cutting-edge program that incorporates mentorship and a resource kit developed by Williams and other experts in the field. More than 60 hospitals across the country have implemented Project BOOST and SHM is currently recruiting more sites.

"There is an adage in management that you should never identify a problem you don't intend to fix," said Michael Paskavitz, editor in chief of QuantiaMD. "Unnecessary readmissions is a well-known problem and we are thrilled to see physician experts step forward to share their experience and collaborate on this topic. And, given that, so far, nearly 2,700 physicians have participated in discussions within the initiative and almost 1000 physicians have downloaded the Project BOOST tool set, suggests that they are eager to begin working together towards a solution for their patients."

SHM and QuantiaMD are expanding the Expert Practice Series to feature moderated discussions on readmissions topics and to include education about specific conditions and procedures that can lead to preventable readmissions. Current topics include congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and community-acquired pneumonia; additional presentations will cover topics such as future approaches to the hospital discharge transition, readmissions related to stent placement and psychoses.

SHM and QuantiaMD plan to engage thousands more physicians by the end of this year, giving them an improved ability to identify high-risk patients, the tools to enhance discharge summary communication and ways to better prepare patients, families and caregivers for post-discharge care.

View the Expert Practice Series here.

Find more information on Project BOOST here.