Hospitals seeking to enhance healthcare quality and patient safety have adopted strategies like the 'Safety Huddle,' a collaborative session focusing on patient safety concerns. Evolving from this concept is the 'Readmission and Mortality Huddle,' an interdisciplinary team meeting specifically aimed at analyzing readmissions and mortalities. This focused approach is crucial in the light of Dexur's findings about the narrow scope for improvements in healthcare metrics. The goal of these huddles is to identify patterns, discern root causes, and devise prevention strategies, with frequent and concise meetings enabling prompt interventions and ongoing monitoring, marking a significant advancement in hospital management.

The significance of Readmission and Mortality Huddles lies in their potential to make tangible improvements in hospital performance. Given Dexur’s revelation that small reductions in readmissions and mortalities can substantially elevate a hospital's performance percentile, these huddles can serve as a critical tool for hospitals striving to reach the top echelons of quality care.

Advantages of the Huddle Approach

• Targeted Interventions: By focusing on specific cases of readmissions and mortalities, hospitals can identify and address the root causes effectively.

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: These huddles foster a culture of collaboration, bringing together various healthcare professionals to work towards a common goal.

• Continuous Learning and Improvement: Regular huddles encourage a culture of continuous learning, essential for long-term improvements in patient care.

• Data-Driven Strategies: Integration with Dexur’s software ensures that strategies are based on solid data and analytics, leading to more effective interventions.

Case Review:
• What were the specific circumstances of the readmission or mortality?
• Was the readmission/mortality anticipated or unexpected?
• What were the primary diagnosis and comorbid conditions?
Patient History and Care During Initial Admission:
• Was there a comprehensive discharge planning process?
• Were there any identifiable gaps in the care provided during the initial admission?
• How was the patient's understanding and compliance with the discharge plan?
Post-Discharge Factors:
• What were the patient’s living conditions and support systems post-discharge?
• Were there follow-up appointments, and did the patient attend them?
• Were there any communication challenges with primary care providers or specialists?
Systemic Issues:
• Were there any systemic issues, such as medication errors, delayed diagnoses, or inadequate follow-up procedures?
• Could hospital policies or procedures have contributed to the readmission or mortality?
Preventability and Improvement Opportunities:
• Was the readmission or mortality preventable?
• What could have been done differently to alter the outcome?

Data Presentation:
• Review and present data on recent readmissions and mortalities, including trends and patterns.
Case Studies:
• Discuss specific cases in detail, focusing on the timeline of events and decisions made.
Root Cause Analysis:
• Employ tools like the fishbone diagram or the “5 Whys” technique to identify underlying causes.
Development of Action Plans:
• Formulate specific, actionable strategies to address identified issues.
• Assign responsibilities and set timelines for implementation.
Education and Training:
• Discuss new guidelines or protocols and provide training if necessary.
• Share lessons learned and best practices.
Follow-up and Review:
• Schedule follow-up meetings to assess the impact of implemented changes.
• Review the status of action items and ongoing improvement strategies.

The implementation of Readmission and Mortality Huddles can be seamlessly integrated with Dexur’s Unified Quality and Incident Management software. This software is designed to facilitate detailed patient-level tracking, providing a comprehensive platform for managing quality and safety. It enables healthcare professionals to conduct thorough AI Driven root cause analyses and develop Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPAs) and then track the impact of those interventions on quality.