System engineering approach to documentation: an evaluation of the documentation process in a gastroenterology laboratory.

Documentation processes are an indispensible part of patient care. Timely access to complete and accurate documentation is crucial to patient safety. However, there is no sufficient tool to help health care professionals effectively manage documentation processes.

Reduction of 30-day postdischarge hospital readmission or emergency department (ED) visit rates in high-risk elderly medical patients through delivery of a targeted care bundle.

Rationale: Care coordination has shown inconsistent results as a mechanism to reduce hospital readmission and postdischarge emergency department (ED) visit rates.

Objective: To assess the impact of a supplemental care bundle targeting high-risk elderly inpatients implemented by hospital-based staff compared to usual care on a composite outcome of hospital readmission and/or ED visitation at 30 and 60 days following discharge.

Patients/methods: Randomized controlled pilot study in 41 medical inpatients predisposed to unplanned readmission or postdischarge ED visitation, conducted at Baylor University Medical Center.