The Effect of Follow-Up Phone Calls After Patient Discharge on 30-day Hospital Readmission Rates

Abstract

Specific Aims: The objective of this study was to perform follow-up phone calls to patients after discharge to determine if it had a significant effect in lowering 30- day readmission rates. Methods: Men and women aged 18 years and older who provided informed consent participated in this prospective, pre-post study. The intervention consisted of a scripted follow-up phone call to each patient after discharge. At three to seven days post-discharge, a pharmacy student on an advanced pharmacy practice experience rotation at a teaching hospital called each patient discharged from a designated ward (Med/Surg I), which admits patients with a variety of conditions, such as liver cirrhosis, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, those who are uninsured, or those who require placement after discharge. Information was collected regarding prescription filling, understanding of medication(s), concerns regarding medications, and the community pharmacy he/she used to fill the discharge medications. The specified community pharmacy was then called to verify that the patient filled discharge medications at that pharmacy. The results were compared to the readmission rate in the same ward over the same time period one year prior to implementation of the intervention. Chi-square and descriptive analysis was used and the alpha a priori is 0.05. The institutional review board approved this study. Main Results: Of the 315 people contacted, a total of 89 people completed the survey (28% response rate) and 11 of these participants were readmitted at least once. There was no statistically significant difference between the participant readmission rate and the readmission rates of the total unique admission population of Med/Surg I in 2013 (χ2 = 1.206; p = 0.272). Conclusion: Follow-up phone calls did not significantly impact 30-day readmission rates; however, a downward trend was observed in the participant group.