Authors: Mary Oberst MSC, Camilla Dziura MHA, Seth Glickman, M.D., MBA,

Rachel Rivard, M.D., Kimberly Hedger, Emily Downing, M.D.

Preventable heart failure readmissions pose a significant financial challenge to hospitals and health systems. Reducing 30-day heart failure readmissions optimizes reimbursement for hospitals that participate in CMS value-based programs, such as the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), which incentivizes processes of care that decrease preventable events and thereby reduce overall readmission rates.

Advanced care-at-home programs that serve as alternatives to extended hospitalization and institutional post- acute care offer an innovative and effective solution for hospitals seeking to optimize patient outcomes and reduce avoidable readmissions, resulting in substantial financial gains.

In implementing Inbound Health’s novel in-home care model that supports early hospital discharge and provides an alternative to institutional post-acute care, Allina Health was able to reduce 30-day readmissions in their heart failure population by 30% over a 2.8-year period, generating significant cost- savings for the health system.