Complimentary from the publishers of Readmissions News               December 2015
	"Regarding big data, it is all too easy to fall into the line of thought that suggests that every answer to our health systems most costly and complex problems, like reducing preventable hospital readmissions, are lay hidden within the vast data stream of zeroes and ones. While it certainly is the case that with sufficient time, funding, and analysis of the data, healthcare providers can discover answers to some of the questions about how to raise quality, predict adverse events, and manage population health, it takes more than a clinical analytics dashboard to understand why patients become nonadherent or why the hospital seems like the only place they can find adequate help for their needs. Combining accurate, real-time data with a deep understanding of what causes patients to experience distress is the most important competency not just for identifying readmission rates, but for actually reducing them." -Lois H. Carafullo, MPH, Senior Vice President and Chief Quality and Nursing Officer, BayCare Health System, Tampa, FL
	"Medicare has transformed reimbursement metrics such that by 2018, 50% of Medicare payments will go to value-based financial models..." Excerpted from: Readmissions News, Volume 4, Number 12, December 2015, "Readmissions and Quality Improvement: Is there a role for Clinical Communities?" by Charles A. Odonkor, M.D., M.A
	How Postacute Care is Evolving HealthLeaders Media, December 13, 2015
	UnitedHealth's HouseCalls Reduces Hospital Readmissions FierceHealthPayer, December 9, 2015
	Hospital Readmission Rates Depend on Patient Characteristics AJMC, December 9, 2015
	Positive Attitude After ACS Translates Into Fewer Hospital Readmissions tctmd, December 8, 2015
	Reducing Hospital Readmissions: A Review of Existing Programs Advance Healthcare Network for Nurses, December 2, 2015
	Personalized Medication Adherence Plan Cuts Readmissions by 70% Health IT Analytics, December 1, 2015
	Medicare Rules Reshape Hospital Admissions The Wall Street Journal, December 1, 2015
	Readmissions and Quality Improvement: Is there a role for Clinical Communities? by Charles A. Odonkor, M.D., M.A Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary Strategy: Acute Care Hospitals Must Refer More Patients To The Top Five Post-Acute Providers In Their Area By Quality Care and Financial Efficiencies by Chuck Bongiovanni, MSW, MBA, NCRP, CSA, CFE mHealth, Apps and the Utility of Technology in Reducing Preventable Readmissions by Elaine Hopkins Thought Leaders' Corner: What role does Big Data have in reducing readmissions? Industry News with briefs regarding CMS, Predixion, Medalogix, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Avamere, Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, the American Hospital Association, and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Catching up with ... Patrick S. Lang Click here to view page one of this issue Click here to subscribe to Readmissions News, or find out more
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