Patients’ Perception Of Care Takes On New Importance — But Measuring That Is Tricky
Doctors, hospitals and the federal government are all asking patients about their care as the health system is being transformed. But many experts question the science and technical infrastructure for capturing good data. Also in the news, a report from Connecticut looks at efforts to curb the number of people who are readmitted to a hospital after a nursing home stay.
Modern Healthcare:
The Next Frontier In Quality Care Measurement: How Patients Feel
Physicians, policymakers and payers in healthcare are increasingly asking patients for their input. This information is viewed as vital for clinicians, payers and health systems as the industry transitions from fee-for-service to value-based payment. By shaping clinical decisions and helping gauge the benefit of medical care, the patient's perception of health before and after treatment is critical not only for maximizing the quality of care but also for assessing its value, many in the industry say. But the science and technical infrastructure to capture this information and incorporate it into payment programs fall short of the eagerness and optimism for using them. At this frontier of quality measurement, important questions remain over how these metrics can be implemented, what burden they'll impose on physicians and patients, and how they'll be used to determine payment. (Whitman, 1/28)
The CT Mirror:
New Strain On Nursing Homes: Keep Patients Out Of Hospitals
The wide swing in nursing home patients’ re-hospitalization rates has a lot to do with the condition patients are in when they are discharged from inpatient stays, as well as the planning that goes into the transition to other care. The federal government has been penalizing hospitals since 2012 for high rates of patients returning within 30 days of discharge. But now, nursing homes (or skilled nursing facilities) also are being held accountable for hospital readmissions. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has started publicly reporting the rates at which nursing home patients return to the hospital – for any reason — within a month of admission. (Chedekel, 1/29)
