Post-Discharge Follow-Up Care Through Office Visits or Telephone Calls, Key to Avoiding Readmissions

Post-discharge care is a critical component of supporting patients as they transition from the hospital to the home environment. Primary care providers play an essential role in helping patients avoid readmission by ensuring timely follow-up—within seven days—to identify complications early, reinforce medication adherence and ensure patients understand their care plans.

These visits may be completed either in person or through a phone call, and medication reconciliation as part of the follow-up visit significantly reduces the likelihood of readmission.

Historical data show that 64% of readmissions among Peoples Health plan members occur within 15 days post-discharge and 35% occur within seven days.

Post-discharge medication reconciliation also addresses patient safety by preventing potentially harmful drug interactions or overdoses and reduces the risk of readmission due to medication errors.