Reducing Length of Stay and Readmissions Ahead of Reimbursement Cuts: Interview with: Robert (Bo) Cofield, DrPH, MHA, FACHE, Chief Operations Officer and Associate Vice President, Hospital and Clinics Operations, University of Virginia Medical Center, a speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CXO Summit Fall 2012, on improving the delivery of care ahead of reimbursement cuts.

1. Reducing Length of Stay and Readmissions
Ahead of Reimbursement Cuts
levels. We must get patients to the next Sharing data between hospitals in a
level of care as efficiently and safely as community can also have a positive
possible. With the advent of more impact on care. People develop an
insured patients seeking care in the affinity for certain hospitals or
future and the fact that some hospitals providers, no matter what care they
are full today, we need to be able to receive, but if they choose to switch
accommodate the next patient who hospitals, we might never know what
needs healthcare services. The longer a we did wrong. We are working with
patient sits in bed, the more resources hospitals in the community to share our
will be consumed. In an environment electronic medical records for this
where we have to focus on the cost of reason.
healthcare, eliminating inappropriate
consumption of resources is critical. Does this all come down to having a
Interview with: Robert (Bo) Cofield, better alignment of interests?
DrPH, MHA, FACHE, Chief The story is similar for reducing
Operations Officer and Associate readmissions. Nobody seeks to provide Alignment of interests is critical in a full
Vice President, Hospital and Clinics bad care, but with government and contact team sport like healthcare. As
Operations, University of Virginia private payers looking at ways to avoid an academic medical center, we are in a
Medical Center paying providers, hospitals have to work good position, but all hospitals need to
with physicians to provide post- partner with their physicians more
discharge support mechanisms to avoid aggressively than ever.
With healthcare reforms now a readmission if they can.
pena liz ing hospi ta ls fo r pati en t
readmissions, many more hospitals are What steps could hospitals take?
making an effort to reduce their rate,
but doing that along with minimizing Many of the things that we can and
length of stay (LOS) requires the should do to prevent readmissions are
delivery of better patient care. during the initial admission of the
“A lot of our efforts are focused on
patient. We have to make sure patients
get what they need during their
Alignment of
interests is
communication, within the team as well admission and post-discharge as that
as within the family dynamic and patient could prevent subsequent admissions.
relationship,” says Robert (Bo) Cofield,
DrPH, MHA, FACHE, Chief Operations
Officer and Associate Vice President,
Hospital and Clinics Operations,
We have a patient progression initiative,
that requires effective communication
among the team members about the
critical in a
University of Virginia Medical Center.
“Many of the things that we can and
status of a patient, and with the family
about the patient’s course of care, in full contact
should do to prevent readmissions begin order to avoid surprises.
with the initial admission of the patient,”
he adds. How can this help hospitals improve
team sport
like healthcare
the quality of service?
A speaker at the marcus evans
National Healthcare CXO Summit We have mechanisms and systems to
Fall 2012, in Dallas, Texas, October alert everyone of subsequent
21-23, Cofield puts reimbursement, LOS admissions fairly early on, to avoid
and readmissions under the knife. repeating any mistakes we might have
made, and to validate whether or not
How will reducing LOS and the readmission was appropriate. Our
readmissions play a bigger role in a quality group looks at every
new healthcare system? readmission, reviews the charts and
tries to identify opportunities for
Reducing LOS is important on many improvement.

2. About the National Healthcare CXO Summit Fall 2012
The marcus evans Summits
This unique forum will take place at The Westin Stonebriar, Dallas, Texas, October
groups deliver peer-to-peer
21-23, 2012. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show,
information on strategic matters,
this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and
professional trends and
solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The
breakthrough innovations.
Summit includes presentations on physician alignment strategies, perfecting the
ACO model, improving patient satisfaction and experience, cost-containment case
studies, the future of the US healthcare system and much more.
www.nhcxosummit.com
Please note that the Summit is a
Contact
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