The goal is to keep patients healthy, at home, and out of the emergency room. At adherent360, we specialize in smoothing that transition by seamlessly connecting hospital discharge with follow-up care. We leverage innovative solutions, including our specialized pharmacy dispensing machines and integrated services, to bolster your readmission reduction program and optimize your outpatient ambulatory care services.
The Financial and Health Imperative: Your Readmission Reduction Program
Hospital readmissions are a major pain point. They signal a breakdown in the continuity of care, lead to frustrating patient experiences, and, critically, result in significant financial penalties for healthcare systems. Every hospital needs a robust readmission reduction program that effectively addresses post-discharge risks.
One of the leading causes of readmission? Confusion over medications and a lack of immediate access to necessary follow-up care.
Key Risk Factors Leading to Readmission
Addressing these factors immediately upon discharge is essential to a successful readmission reduction program:
- Medication Non-Adherence: Patients often don’t pick up prescriptions, stop taking them too early, or take them incorrectly due to confusing regimens.
- Lack of Follow-Up Care: Patients miss or delay scheduling crucial appointments with primary care physicians or specialists.
- Health Literacy Gaps: Confusion about post-discharge instructions, warning signs, and lifestyle changes.
- Social Determinants of Health (SDoH): Issues like transportation, financial constraints, and housing instability can derail recovery plans.
At adherent360, we integrate our services directly into your discharge workflow to target these risks head-on, ensuring a safer and more successful recovery for every patient.
Bridging the Gap: Optimizing Outpatient Ambulatory Care Services
Outpatient ambulatory care services—which include everything from clinics and surgical centers to primary care offices—are the frontline defense against readmissions. These services need to be accessible, coordinated, and highly efficient to catch issues before they escalate into an ER visit.
Our system is designed to support and extend the reach of your ambulatory services, ensuring patients are properly equipped for success immediately following discharge and throughout their recovery.
How We Support Ambulatory Success
- Guaranteed Medication Access: The first critical step after discharge is ensuring the patient gets their medication. By utilizing our integrated system, we ensure that necessary medications are accessible immediately, either through home delivery or our specialized dispensing solutions (see below).
- Automated Follow-Up Scheduling: We work with your team to automate the scheduling and confirmation of high-priority post-discharge follow-up appointments, drastically reducing the number of missed visits.
- Real-Time Data Sharing: Our technology provides your ambulatory care providers with immediate, actionable data regarding a patient’s medication adherence and engagement levels, allowing them to prioritize outreach and intervention.
By boosting compliance and ensuring timely appointments, our solutions help your outpatient ambulatory care services function as the highly effective preventative arm of your health system.
Precision in Practice: The Role of Pharmacy Dispensing Machines
Technology is the engine driving modern adherence. The use of specialized pharmacy dispensing machines is a game-changer, especially in hospital or clinic settings that serve high-risk populations or need immediate prescription fulfillment.
At adherent360, our dispensing machines are far more than just sophisticated vending machines. They are secure, controlled pharmaceutical hubs designed to maximize patient convenience and safety at the moment of discharge.
Advantages of Integrated Dispensing Machines
- Medications-at-Discharge (MAD): Placing machines directly in or near the discharge lounge allows patients to receive their first fill immediately, eliminating the common failure point of a trip to an external pharmacy. This is a powerful component of any effective readmission reduction program.
- Pre-Packaged Adherence Aids: Our machines can dispense pre-sorted, multi-dose medication packets, drastically simplifying complex regimens for patients who otherwise might struggle with multiple pill bottles.
- Security and Inventory Control: These are highly secure systems with restricted access, ensuring precise inventory management, proper temperature control, and full compliance with all pharmaceutical regulations.
- 24/7 Access for Ambulatory Patients: For some outpatient ambulatory care services, a secure dispensing machine provides an after-hours option for patients to pick up urgent prescriptions, removing barriers to treatment.
By utilizing smart technology like integrated pharmacy dispensing machines, adherent360 ensures that logistical hurdles never compromise patient safety or recovery. We provide the tools that allow your readmission reduction program to thrive and your outpatient ambulatory care services to operate at peak efficiency.
Ready to see how integrating advanced technology can revolutionize your patient outcomes and financial stability? Contact adherent360 today! Let us show you how we can connect your patient care chain, from hospital bed to home health.
