How to reduce hospital readmissions
The Target-READ* is a study that aim to better characterize the hospital readmissions in Switzerland, and to reduce the risk of readmissions by high risk patients. The study is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and takes place in 4 hospitals in Switzerland (Fribourg, Bienne, Liestal, Neuchâtel).
About the study
Patients who are invited to participate to the Target-READ study are all adults discharged from a medical division from one of the 4 participating hospitals: Fribourg, Bienne, Liestal and Neuchâtel.
The Target-READ study is divided in 2 parts:
Phase 1
The first phase will follow around 600 patients after they left the hospital in order to identify the risk factors for readmission and some other in Switzerland.
Phase 2
The phase 2 will invite only patients identified as having a high-risk of readmission. There are then randomly assigned to the “intervention group”, or the “usual care group”. The patients in the intervention group will receive advices and help before to be discharged home, as well as 2 follow-up phone calls. The usual care group will receive the care as normal. The aim is to evaluate whether the patients receiving the intervention will have less hospital readmissions.
* TARGET-READ: Transition cAre inteRvention tarGeted to high-risk patiEnts To Reduce rEADmission