OAKLAND, Calif., June 26, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alameda Health System (AHS) announced that two of its programs, the Hope Center and Care Transitions, were recognized as Remarkable Projects by America's Essential Hospitals at the VITAL2015 conference. The Remarkable Projects are selected by a judging committee of physicians, nurses, hospital executives and administrators from around the country as part of the Gage Awards program honoring the outstanding work of America's Essential Hospitals members.
AHS's Hope Center was recognized for reducing admissions 9 percent per patient per year among the high-risk patients who utilized the program. The number jumped to 58 percent among patients who graduated out of the program. The Hope Center is a complex management program linked to primary care that focuses on reducing the barriers to chronic disease self-management for its patients.
"AHS is honored to be recognized by America's Essential Hospitals given its alignment with our core values, including serving all," said Dr. David Moskowitz, medical director of the Hope Center. "When providers address the whole patient by understanding and addressing social determinants such as housing, food and transportation, positive outcomes are achieved and sustained. The Hope Center is really working."
The success of AHS's Care Transitions program--which works with recently discharged outpatients living with one of several high-risk diagnoses including congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and AIDS—includes an 18 percent reduction in 30-day readmissions and a 4 percent reduction in 90-day readmissions last year. Care Transitions includes nurses, a pharmacist and community outreach professionals to assist high-risk patients manage their chronic conditions by identifying and addressing their social obstacles to wellness.
"Care Transitions uses a variety of measures to treat high-risk patients including helping them schedule primary care appointments, making phone contact with recently discharged patients, making follow-up appointments within 21 days of discharge, and educating them about the reconciliation of medications," said Maia White, Care Transitions manager. "Our Care Transitions team coordinates complex discharge plans for high-risk patients with impressive results."
VITAL2015 is America's Essential Hospitals' annual conference attended by hundreds of hospital and health system leaders. This year's event, June 24-26 in San Diego, Calif., is focused on the ongoing changes in hospital policy and practice demands, and specifics such as Medicaid waivers, hospital financing, patient safety, quality improvement and behavioral health.
For a full list of Gage Award honorees, please visit: http://gageaward.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AbstractsGuide_Final_060815-.pdf
About Alameda Health System (AHS)
Alameda Health System, a major public health care provider headquartered in Oakland, California, is recognized as a world-class patient and family centered system of care with more than 4,500 employees, 1,000 physicians and 480 volunteers. Their facilities include Highland Hospital, a major regional trauma center and teaching hospital; Alameda Hospital, an acute care facility providing emergency, in-patient and outpatient services in Alameda; San Leandro Hospital, which provides emergency and in-patient hospital care services; John George Psychiatric Hospital, an acute and emergency care facility in San Leandro; Fairmont Hospital, an acute rehabilitation hospital and skilled nursing facility, also in San Leandro; and four ambulatory wellness centers in Oakland as well as in Newark and Hayward.