Complimentary from the publishers of ReadmissionsNews                    April 13, 2012
	"The readmission penalty itself is an imperfect strategy for incenting care delivery reform because it places all of the financial risk on the hospital, even though other providers and patients are integral to the equation. However, hospitals sit at the hub of acute care and are best positioned to catalyze care coordination across providers, sites of care, and time. No payer has created the perfect value-based purchasing strategy to date, but the rapid response by hospitals to reduce readmissions suggests that the penalty program has played a role in moving the dial on care coordination." Brian Contos, Executive Director, Research and Insights, The Advisory Board Company
	"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has estimated the cost of avoidable hospital readmissions at more than $17 billion a year. It’s no surprise then that CMS has targeted readmissions as one area to realize significant Medicare savings. Beginning in fiscal year 2013, CMS will begin penalizing hospitals on readmissions for three conditions: heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia. The list will grow even longer in 2015. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the savings could reach $7.1 billion over 10 years." Excerpted from: Readmissions News, Volume 1, Number 3, April, 2012, Reducing Costly Readmissions through Web-based, Post-discharge Follow-up Tools
	Many Hospital Readmissions Are Preventable Medscape, April 5, 2012
	Typical Hospital Wastes Up To $3.8 Million A Year On Readmissions: Study Huffingtonpost, April 9, 2012
	Two new programs to help curb hospital readmissions Healthcare Finance News, March 28, 2012
	Hospitals tackle patient readmission problem Glendale News Press, March 24, 2012
	Checklist for heart failure patients can reduce readmissions Healthcare Payer News, March, 30 2012
	Rethinking Readmissions The Boston Globe, April 3, 2012
	Overcoming Preventable Readmissions: 6 Stories Becker's Hospital Review, April 04, 2012
	Study examines readmission risk during stroke rehab Nurse.com News, April 8, 2012
	Personal touches help patients at risk for readmission Fiercehealthcare, March 28, 2012
	A Care System for Effecting Reductions in Preventable Readmission Rates by James L. Holly, MD Medication Management and Hospital Readmissions by Marie Smith, PharmD Editor’s Corner - Kathleen Houston Drummy, Esq Reducing Costly Readmissions through Web-based, Post-discharge Follow-up Tools by Theresa Edelstein, MPH, LNHA Thought Leader’s Corner: "Are the CMS readmissions penalties on hospitals too harsh, too small to make a real difference, about right, or the wrong approach in the first place?" Industry News with briefs regarding CMS, Glendale Healthier Community Coalition, County of Marin, UnitedHealthcare and Dovetail Health, and American College of Cardiology Catching Up with…. Amy Boutwell, MD, MPP Click here to view page one of this issue Click here to subscribe to Readmissions News, or find out more
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