As apparent in its name, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement is focused on improving worldwide health and health care. With much to tackle, the group is concerned about the frequency of readmissions for recently discharged hospital patients. The effort to improve this rate is among the group’s core initiatives.
“Hospitalizations account for nearly one-third of the total $2 trillion spent on health care in the United States,” the IHI explains. “In the majority of cases, hospitalization is necessary and appropriate. However, a substantial fraction of all hospitalizations are patients returning to the hospital soon after their previous stay. These rehospitalizations are costly, potentially harmful, and often avoidable.”
The IHI strongly believes that avoidable rehospitalizations will decrease if core disc

harge planning and transition processes out of the hospital are improved and if transitions and care coordination at the interfaces between care settings are improved. Enhancing coaching, education and support for patient self-management are also methods where the IHI believes a positive change can take place.
Freedom Home Care understands the implications that can arise when clients are not properly transitioned from the hospital back to their home setting. And that’s why we provide various post-surgery services to help patients readjust and regain their health, all according to the discharge care prescribed by their physicians. When the proper care is given, patients can rest assured that their time spent in hospitals and rehabilitation centers will not increase.