Podcast 29: Dr. Brian Jack of Boston University sees RED (Re-Engineered Discharge) as a way to lower hospital readmissions.

Millions of people are discharged each year from U.S. hospitals. How many find themselves on the street with no clear idea of what they’ve been treated for, what drugs they should take and when, and how to get in touch with a clinician if something goes wrong? No surprise, many are readmitted — either directly or through the emergency room. Brian Jack and colleagues embarked on Project RED to re-engineer hospital discharge procedures (which, by the way, are not currently standardized). There’s news and links too. Plus, your chance to talk back by calling 617-440-4374. Links for this issue:

• A couple of position papers on type 2 diabetes
• 64-slice CT angiography is the equivalent of 600 chest x-rays
• Routine lower-back imaging is a waste of time
• Ending Hospitalizations Carefully Avoids Rehospitalizations
• Project RED website
• Project RED toolkit (example of an after-hospital care plan and the training manual)

The post Podcast 29: Dr. Brian Jack of Boston University sees RED (Re-Engineered Discharge) as a way to lower hospital readmissions. first appeared on Clinical Conversations.