Other Titles
A Quality Improvement Review of Assessing the Impact of a Discharge Readiness Checklist to Reduce 30-Day Medical Readmission Rates in Gynecologic Oncology Patients [Poster Title]
Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Hospital readmissions remain a critical challenge in healthcare, particularly in oncology, where complex treatment regimens and post-discharge complications contribute to unplanned hospitalizations. These readmissions increase healthcare costs and negatively impact patient outcomes, quality of life, and institutional performance metrics. This quality improvement project evaluated the impact of a Discharge Readiness Checklist (DRC) on 30-day medical readmission rates among gynecologic oncology patients at an academic hospital. The primary objective was to determine whether implementing a structured discharge checklist would enhance patient readiness, improve care transitions, and reduce preventable readmissions.
A pre and post-intervention design over 9 weeks was used to assess the effectiveness of the DRC in reducing readmissions. Baseline data revealed a 26.8% readmission rate, exceeding the national benchmark of < 20%. The intervention incorporated structured discharge planning, interdisciplinary communication, medication reconciliation, and patient education. Post-implementation results demonstrated a reduction in 30-day readmission rates to 15.7%, with significant improvements among high-risk patients (LACE+ score >70), where readmissions decreased from 78.57% to 64.5%.
The findings highlight the essential role of nurse-led discharge interventions in oncology care. By standardizing discharge planning, improving interdisciplinary collaboration, and engaging patients in post-hospitalization care, this initiative enhanced patient safety, optimized hospital throughput, and reduced healthcare costs associated with preventable readmissions. The checklist improved provider accountability by ensuring a structured discharge process and promoting adherence to follow-up care. This project supports evidence-based discharge practices in oncology and underscores the need for ongoing evaluation of structured discharge strategies for high-risk populations.
This quality improvement initiative advances nursing practice by emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to standardized discharge readiness assessments. Collaboration among nurses, providers, case managers, and support staff strengthens care transitions, reduces readmissions, and improves patient outcomes. Additionally, integrating predictive analytics, such as the LACE+ score, enables early identification of high-risk patients, supporting proactive discharge planning and targeted post-discharge interventions.
Notes
References:
Emes, M., Smith, S., Ward, S., & Smith, A. (2018). Improving the patient discharge process: implementing actions derived from a soft systems methodology study. Health systems (Basingstoke, England), 8(2), 117–133. https://doi.org/10.1080/20476965.2018.1524405
Gallagher, D., Zhao, C., Brucker, A., Massengill, J., Kramer, P., Poon, E. G., & Goldstein, B. A. (2020). Implementation and Continuous Monitoring of an Electronic Health Record Embedded Readmissions Clinical Decision Support Tool. Journal of personalized medicine, 10(3), 103. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm10030103
Gonçalves-Bradley, D. C., Lannin, N. A., Clemson, L., Cameron, I. D., & Shepperd, S. (2022). Discharge planning from hospital. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2(2), CD000313. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000313.pub6
Staples, J. A., Wiksyk, B., Liu, G., Desai, S., van Walraven, C., & Sutherland, J. M. (2021). External validation of the modified LACE+, LACE+, and LACE scores to predict readmission or death after hospital discharge. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 27(6), 1390–1397. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13579
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quality Improvement
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Clinical Practice, Discharge Readiness, Hospital Readmission Rate, Gynecologic Oncology
Recommended Citation
Whitney, Kiara; Striplin, Jeri; and Dunlap, Jayne, "Discharge Readiness Checklist Impact on 30-Day Readmission Rates in Gynecologic Oncology Patients" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 200.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/200
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Discharge Readiness Checklist Impact on 30-Day Readmission Rates in Gynecologic Oncology Patients
Seattle, Washington, USA
Hospital readmissions remain a critical challenge in healthcare, particularly in oncology, where complex treatment regimens and post-discharge complications contribute to unplanned hospitalizations. These readmissions increase healthcare costs and negatively impact patient outcomes, quality of life, and institutional performance metrics. This quality improvement project evaluated the impact of a Discharge Readiness Checklist (DRC) on 30-day medical readmission rates among gynecologic oncology patients at an academic hospital. The primary objective was to determine whether implementing a structured discharge checklist would enhance patient readiness, improve care transitions, and reduce preventable readmissions.
A pre and post-intervention design over 9 weeks was used to assess the effectiveness of the DRC in reducing readmissions. Baseline data revealed a 26.8% readmission rate, exceeding the national benchmark of < 20%. The intervention incorporated structured discharge planning, interdisciplinary communication, medication reconciliation, and patient education. Post-implementation results demonstrated a reduction in 30-day readmission rates to 15.7%, with significant improvements among high-risk patients (LACE+ score >70), where readmissions decreased from 78.57% to 64.5%.
The findings highlight the essential role of nurse-led discharge interventions in oncology care. By standardizing discharge planning, improving interdisciplinary collaboration, and engaging patients in post-hospitalization care, this initiative enhanced patient safety, optimized hospital throughput, and reduced healthcare costs associated with preventable readmissions. The checklist improved provider accountability by ensuring a structured discharge process and promoting adherence to follow-up care. This project supports evidence-based discharge practices in oncology and underscores the need for ongoing evaluation of structured discharge strategies for high-risk populations.
This quality improvement initiative advances nursing practice by emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to standardized discharge readiness assessments. Collaboration among nurses, providers, case managers, and support staff strengthens care transitions, reduces readmissions, and improves patient outcomes. Additionally, integrating predictive analytics, such as the LACE+ score, enables early identification of high-risk patients, supporting proactive discharge planning and targeted post-discharge interventions.
Description
This quality improvement project evaluated the impact of a Discharge Readiness Checklist on 30-day medical readmission rates among gynecologic oncology patients. Implementation of the checklist resulted in a 41.4% reduction in readmissions, demonstrating the effectiveness of structured discharge planning in enhancing patient safety, optimizing hospital throughput, and strengthening multidisciplinary rounds to improve care coordination, patient outcomes, and continuity of care across transitions.