By Mark Bashore, WKAR
LANSING, MI –
Mid-Michigan health professionals gathered in Lansing Wednesday to discuss how to keep heart patients from returning to the hospital for more treatment. Studies show a high number of patients with heart problems are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of their release.
Dr. James Haering is with the Sparrow Health System. He says more personalized check-out instructions could reduce readmissions.
"For the first person, it may be 'Here's how you can change your diet to stay healthy,'" he says. "For the second person, it might be that they finally hear the message 'Do not smoke.'" The third person, we may learn that they have issues with the cost of their medications and we can switch them to a less expensive choice."
Wednesday's conference is part of a nationwide effort to better coordinate healthcare.