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From Our Experts
Is Your Neighborhood Affecting Rehospitalization?
By: Penny Cook, MSW
Sr. Quality Improvement Facilitator, Telligen
There have been many factors studied as we search for answers as to the causes of hospital readmissions.   Obviously there are planned readmissions, some that are unavoidable and then there are all the rest.  It is this last category that leaves us with the most questions.  Research has attempted to understand avoidable readmissions by looking at variables such as hospital or other provider specific practices, discharge location, diagnosis, age, sex, patient activation and individual socioeconomic status among many others.  Some of these are hard to measure and some give an incomplete picture.
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A Home of One's Own: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and the Stout Street Health Center
By: Stephanie Spriggs
Program Assistant, CIVHC
Originally featured in the December Voices on Value.
One night in early November, Denver weather broke a temperature record by plummeting to 13 degrees below zero. Winter is a deadly season for the homeless population, yet through the efforts of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, the newly opened Stout Street Health Center, and the adjoining Renaissance Stout Street Lofts, this year fewer people will be on the street.
In The News
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Colorado Hospitals Hit by Medicare Penalty for High Readmission Rates

When the Medicare readmission penalties were announced this year, 27 Colorado hospitals were penalized for having relatively high rates of readmissions. Though Colorado readmissions are lower than the national average, according to CMS there are still several institutions with excessive readmission rates. Penalty rates ranged from 1.29-0.56%.

Full Article 

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Data Sharing and Analytics: Changing HHS For the Better 
By Adam Stone

In many states, IT planners in health and human services have sought ways to bridge the divide, gathering data from disparate sources across government to inform the public, drive better policy and improve social outcomes.

Full Article  

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The Quest for Patient-Centered Care: Patients as Partners

By Ilene MacDonald

Patient experience has become a priority for healthcare organizations across the country. Two participants in the Robert Wood Jonson Foundation sponsored Aligning Forces for Quality project have had strong results in very different settings.

 Full Article

Funding Opportunity

Geriatrics Workforce Enhancements Program

A great opportunity for health professions schools and programs to help improve health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care, maximizing patient and family engagement, and transforming the healthcare system. Deadline is March 5.
Tools and Resources

Health Literacy and Health Insurance Literacy: Do Consumers Know What They Are Buying?

Resources and guidance for improving Health Literacy from the Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

Let Your Voice Be Heard
In This Issue
Coding Changes
Care management tools and guidance on new CPT codes.
Upcoming Events

Nurse Patient
Healthy Transitions Webinars Available 

Recordings and slides of our monthly webinars are located on the Webinar Archive page of the Healthy Transitions Colorado Website. 

Webinar Archives 

Healthy Transitions Colorado is a collaborative effort, focused on aligning and accelerating existing efforts to improve transitions of care for Coloradans. Our guiding principles are simple - by working together to break down the silos of health care, we can foster true community care coordination across facilities, specialties, and practices.