Best Practices Toolkit for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities

Use this form for patients being readmitted to psychiatric care to determine the factors leading to readmission.

Identifying patients who are at high risk for readmission while still in the inpatient setting can allow for effective interventions to be implemented before the patient is discharged. Clinical academics have developed a clinical risk index, READMIT, to assess the likelihood of readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharge for psychiatric inpatients.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in coordination with Boston University Medical Center, has developed an online Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) tool kit. RED has been shown to be effective in reducing readmissions and post-hospital emergency department visits.

Now available with two new drug groups: COPD medications and antipsychotics. Clinicians in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, pharmacies and physician offices will find this tool useful for teaching their Medicare and elderly patients about their medications. Included in the tool are a cover reminder card, and eleven medication cards, including: Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) -inhibitors, Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs), beta blockers, antiarrhythmic agents, aldosterone blockers, diuretics, nitrates (vasodilators), potassium, blood thinners (anticoagulants), antidiabetic agents and opioid medications. Each medication card includes: 1) How the class of drug works, 2) What problems to report to the clinician, and 3) The brand or generic drug names by class.

Clinicians in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, pharmacies and physician offices will find this tool useful for teaching their Medicare and elderly patients about their medications. Included in the tool are a cover reminder card, and eleven medication cards, including: Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) -inhibitors, Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs), beta blockers, antiarrhythmic agents, aldosterone blockers, diuretics, nitrates (vasodilators), potassium, blood thinners (anticoagulants), antidiabetic agents and opioid medications. Each medication card includes: 1) How the class of drug works, 2) What problems to report to the clinician, and 3) The brand or generic drug names by class.