Reducing hospital readmissions through faith community nursing.

Abstract

I n response to a community health needs assessment, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital (ESJH) and the Emory Healthcare System in Atlanta, Ga., began to formalize partnerships with community stakeholders in 2016.1 These partnerships were designed to benefit vulnerable patient populations in the community. The most urgent care needs identified from the needs assessment included lessening barriers of access to care, expanding awareness of healthy behaviors and available resources, increasing the focus on preventive care, and managing chronic conditions. However, how to meet those needs in a healthcare environment in which reimbursement is declining and resources are limited was challenging. Emory Healthcare is the largest academic healthcare system in Georgia, currently comprising 11 hospitals, over 2,000 physicians concentrated in 70-plus subspecialties, more than 25,000 employees, and the largest clinically integrated network in the AMBULATORY SERIES PART 2