Carpenter Et Al Need To Paraphrase This Sentence

The results concluded that the addition of a Clinical Decision Unit at Norton Audubon Hospital would be a cost-effective measure in treating CHF patients and preventing or decreasing the readmission rate, thus improving the reimbursement potential for the hospital. “Deployment of an outpatient CHF clinic and a CDU as a bundled approach to CHF management emerged as a viable plan” (Carpenter et al., 2015). There was an obvious upfront cost for the opening of the clinic and all needed equipment, but cost of personnel was merely a shift in budget from department to department. Patients that presented to the emergency department instead of being admitted were placed into an observation status on the CDU. “Providing a venue for focused observational care is proving to be a successful strategy that is well accepted by clinicians and patients” (Carpenter et al., 2015). The utilization of the observation unit has proved a decrease length of stay resulting in a decrease hospital cost to provide care for these CHF patients.

Statistically, the results of readmission since the introduction of the CDU has remained statistically stable at the time of this article, but further research will most likely show time has only matured the CDU processes and outcomes. Along with the CDU, protocols for discharge planning, education, follow-up contact, and patient referrals for post-discharge care have also been linked to a possible decrease in readmission rates for CHF patients in NAH.The implementation of a predictive index tool as a screening method, “could be an early indicator of discharge occurring too soon, before patients are stable and ready for transition to home” (Carpenter et al., 2015).Overall, the addition of the CDU to the NAH services will potentially prove to be a successful and advantageous addition to help the hospital decrease the readmission rate of CHF patients and keep the reimbursement rates at a maximum for their facility.