When a cancer patient leaves the hospital, their biggest hope is to never see it again. Unfortunately, that is often not the case.
That's why Fox Chase Cancer Center in Northeast Philadelphia has partnered with a Horsham-based software company to pinpoint ways to reduce readmission rates.
As Managed Care Magazine reported, Fox Chase has a readmission rate of around 15 percent, which is typical for a cancer hospital. Still, the center has focused on using health data to find which patients are most at risk of having to go back to the hospital.
One key factor that a staff biostatistician noticed: getting discharged straight to home. Patients may need to exercise patience over their desire to go home as soon as possible.
Fox Chase hired RightCare Solutions to craft algorithms that will predict which patients are most likely to be readmitted. The software also helps case managers more easily track records for services that patients use after they get out of the hospital, like rehab facilities.
After six months of testing and development, the hospital will start using RightCare's software early this year, with a performance assessment expected 12 months later. It's another example of how better data can lead to better lives for many patients.
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