Readers Poll

The Top 10 best practices

1. Using collaboration to cut readmission rates

Hospitals that have forged collaborations among providers and community-based organizations and that encourage selfmanagement have rapidly reduced readmissions.

2. Adopting telehealth to boost patient outcomes

Platforms that engage patients before and after surgery produce better results than traditional approaches.

3. Thwarting the spread of deadly bacteria

To stop the spread of hard-to-treat infections, hospitals are sending weekly emails to hospital leaders that include an update on the number of cases and a ranking of unit performance as well as an action plan.

4. Hiring medical scribes to allow physicians to focus on patients

Providers’ use of medical scribes has been shown to reduce wait times for patients and encourage more patient-centered care.

5. Using software to avoid misdiagnoses

Computer-assisted diagnosis technology is underutilized, but studies suggest it can help by boosting physicians’ diagnostic confidence, reducing costs and improving patient outcomes.

6. Payers publishing what services cost

To increase transparency, insurers are creating searchable databases that allow the general public to see how much it pays particular providers for services.

7. Making the discharge process smoother

Hospitals are implementing processes— including starting discharge planning on the date of admission and using checklists—to reduce bottlenecks and ease patient flow.

8. Targeting the right patients for support

The Patient Activation Measure, developed by a team at the University of Oregon and introduced in 2004, helps health systems predict which patients are best equipped to engage in their care and which ones will be overwhelmed and in need of additional support.

9. Leadership development for future administrators

Hospitals are creating formal programs to identify and retain promising leaders and to give them the skills to move up within the organization.

10. Residency programs for nurses

Nursing residency-type programs can help meet demand for trained nurses while cutting costs for hospitals.