HomeIntegrate Care for Populations and Communities
The Care Transitions project is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) statewide initiative to decrease Medicare hospital readmission rate within 30 days by 20% over a three year period (August 1, 2011 - July 31, 2014).
In 2010, Mississippi’s average acute care hospital readmission rate was 20 percent. According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, it is estimated that up to 76% of hospital readmissions 30 days of discharge may be prevented. Avoidable readmissions place a physical and emotional burden on patients and families and have an adverse effect on Medicare reimbursement rates.
Information & Quality Healthcare (IQH) is bringing together hospitals, home health agencies, nursing homes, hospice, dialysis facilities, patient advocacy organizations, Medicare beneficiaries and other stakeholders to work together in community coalitions. These entities will work to improve care coordination, continuity of care and communication among discharge planners for better transition from one setting to another for better patient outcomes.
The Quality Improvement Organization for Colorado, the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care, is the national coordinating center for this project. Information related to the project can be found at the link below.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting applications for participation in the Community-based Care Transitions Program (CCTP). The CCTP, mandated by section 3026 of the Affordable Care Act, provides funding to test models for improving care transitions for high risk Medicare beneficiaries.
Section 3026 of the Affordable Care Act authorizes CMS' Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation to award grants to communities to encourage optimal transitions of care and reduce readmission rates.
QIOs are prepared to assist communities to help them take on this critically important task. For additional information click on the link below:
- Community-based Care Transitions Program Application
- Solicitation for Applications Community-based Care Transitions Program
The Care Transitions Search Widget is a free service that you can install on your own site to help your users find high-quality content related to quality improvement for healthcare systems. You can see a list of partner sites that are using the widget.
Project Contacts
Mary Helen Conner BSN, MPH, MCHES
Care Transitions Project Leader
Phone: 601-957-1575/1-800-844-0500 ext. 219
