Effect of a patient care partnership project on cost and quality of care at an academic teaching hospital.

Background: In 1998, the Patient Care Partnership Project was conducted by general internal medicine physicians and hospital administration in an academic health care center. The project was designed to optimize cost, quality, and service results to inpatients.

Methods: The project focused on improved communication among physicians, a nurse discharge planner, and hospital administration regarding appropriate resource utilization. The outcomes were average cost per inpatient, length of hospital stay, 30-day readmission rates, mortality rates, and resident and patient satisfaction. Comparisons were made with three control groups.

Results: The postintervention generalist-staffed services showed significant reductions in average costs per patient and length of stay. These parameters increased in the specialist group from 1997 to 1998. Readmission rates remained stable, and mortality rates actually decreased. Patient and resident satisfaction remained unchanged.

Conclusions: A collaborative effort between generalists and hospital administration led to a significant improvement in resource utilization compared with the three control groups, with no compromise in quality outcomes.