Lesley R. Yeung, an associate in the Health Care and Life Sciences practice, in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was quoted in Bloomberg BNA’s Health Care Daily Report, in “Joint Surgery Data Suggest CMS Readmission Effort Works: AARP.”
Following is an excerpt:
While it is good news that readmission rates are decreasing, the important question that providers will have to focus on is what has worked to reduce readmission rates and what additional improvements can be implemented for patients undergoing joint replacement surgeries in order to reduce (or further reduce) unplanned hospital readmissions and therefore control costs for these patients, Yeung said.
However, hospitals required to participate in the CCJR model shouldn't only be concerned with unplanned hospital readmissions, Yeung said. Questions about how to best control costs in a manner that does not diminish access, decrease quality or otherwise have a negative impact on outcomes will also be key considerations for the hospitals participating in the CCJR model, she told Bloomberg BNA.