Groups Try Simple Steps to Avoid Hospital Rebound.

[elleng]

One in five Medicare patients winds up back in the hospital within a month -- even worse, one in four patients with heart failure.

A major push is under way around the country to cut rehospitalizations, in part by arming patients with simple steps to keep their recovery on track -- like getting past harried receptionists for quicker follow-up doctor visits, and reducing medication confusion.

Less than a year into a Medicare-sponsored ''Care Transitions'' project in 14 states, participating hospitals already are seeing readmissions start to inch down, says Dr. Barry Straube, chief medical officer of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/08/health/AP-US-MED-HealthBeat-Hospital-Returns.html

[Warpy]

1. Front desk dragons don't have any medical training

beyond a quickie course in terminology and can't triage patients appropriately.

Nurses in hospitals no longer have the time to write out detailed medication charts for patients before discharge.

Both these problems are due to cost cutting.

The combination leads to boomerang patients.