Return-on-Investment (ROI) Analyses of an Inpatient Lay Health Worker Model on 30-Day Readmission Rates in a Rural Community Hospital.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the return-on-investment (ROI) of an inpatient lay health worker (LHW) model in a rural Appalachian community hospital impacting 30-day readmission rates.

Methods: The Bridges to Home (BTH) study completed an evaluation in 2015 of an inpatient LHW model in a rural Kentucky hospital that demonstrated a reduction in 30-day readmission rates by 47.7% compared to a baseline period.