Document Type
DNP Project
Department
School of Nursing
Date of Degree
Spring 2023
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Primary Advisor
Dr. Cynthia Allen; Dr. Karen Whitt
Keywords
Adult Patients, Hospital Readmission, Automated Text and Phone Call, Post-Discharge Follow-up Program
Abstract
Background: The Center for Medicare & Medicare (CMS) withholds reimbursement from hospitals that fail to meet established benchmarks for the rate of 30-day hospital readmission and patient satisfaction.
Objective: This project aimed to improve patient satisfaction scores and decrease 30-day hospital readmissions among adult patients at the project hospital by implementing an automated phone call and text message post-discharge follow-up program.
Methods: This quality improvement project utilized a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method. Program participants’ 30-day readmission data and patient satisfaction scores were collected and analyzed throughout the 90-day project and up to 30 days after the project ended. Program participants received an automated phone call or text message survey within 48 hours of discharge. Patients whose answers indicated the need for follow-up care coordination were contacted by the nurse manager from the discharging nursing unit.
Results: The program had an enrollment rate of 97% of patients discharged from selected nursing units (n=713 enrolled; n=735 discharged) with a reach rate of 87.3% (n=623) of enrollees, of which 19% (n=132) were flagged for a follow-up call by a nurse manager. The most common reason patients were flagged for nurse manager follow-up was “difficulty making follow-up appointments” (48.11%). An increase of 13.99% was seen in the Discharge Information domain score of the patient satisfaction survey, but no improvements in the Care Transitions domain of the survey. There were no hospital readmissions among patients enrolled in the program during the project timeframe.
Conclusion: An automated phone call and text message post-discharge follow-up program can reduce 30-day hospital readmissions and improve certain domains of patient satisfaction.
Copyright Notice
©2023 Michael Clarke. All rights reserved.
Recommended Citation
Clarke, M. (2023). Impact of an Automated Text and Phone Call Post-Discharge Follow-up Program on Patient Satisfaction Scores and 30-day Hospital Readmission Among Adult Patients. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/123
Open Access
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