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As part of its RAVEN (Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents) project, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has collaborative agreements with 18 nursing homes aimed at improving the quality of care for people residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities by reducing avoidable hospitalizations.

In 2012, UPMC was one of seven organizations awarded a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) grant to reduce potentially avoidable hospitalizations. While all of the CMS sites showed a general reduction in Medicare expenditures, the year-three evaluation report found the RAVEN program was one of two programs that significantly reduced avoidable hospitalizations and costs.

UPMC was approved this year for Phase 2 of the program, which goes live October 1st and will test whether a new payment model will further impact the results achieved in Phase 1 of the program.

During Hospital-Nursing Home Collaborations to Reduce Avoidable Admissions and Readmissions: A UPMC Case Study on Curbing Long-Term Care Hospitalizations, a 45-minute webinar on August 4th, now available for replay, April Kane, UPMC's RAVEN project co-director, shares the key details of the RAVEN program and how UPMC is preparing for Phase 2 of the program.

You will learn:

• How the five key components of the RAVEN program—embedded clinical staff, pharmacy support, education, structured communication, and telemedicine—support the program's goals;
• How UPMC is addressing the program's key challenges, including: IT, particularly in rural areas; nursing home staff turnover; managing the program across such a broad geographic area; and data sharing;
• How the program impacted hospital admission and readmission rates and emergency department visits for UPMC; and
• What long-term care facilities should be doing now to prepare for these types of emerging care delivery and reimbursement models for nursing home residents.

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You can attend this program right in your office and enjoy significant savings — no travel time or hassle; no hotel expenses. It's so convenient! Invite your staff members to gather around a conference table to listen to the conference.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS CONFERENCE?

Presidents/CEOs, chief financial officers, chief operating officers, vice presidents, medical directors, physician practice leaders, strategic planning executives and reimbursement executives.

ABOUT OUR PANELIST:

April Kane

April L. Kane, MSW, LSW, is the Project Co-Director for RAVEN (Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents) at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She provides leadership and oversight for the Initiative, responsible for project implementation, on-going operations, and transition/sustainability plans.

Ms. Kane also promotes engagement of the RAVEN operating partners, nursing facility partners, CMS, clinical and program staff.

Prior to UPMC, Kane's experience included project management and coordinator positions for the University of Pittsburgh at the Alzheimer Disease Research Center, University Center for Social and Urban Research, and the Stroke Institute.

Ms. Kane received her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. Her primary interests are in the areas of caregiving, Alzheimer's disease, and providing quality care to our geriatric population.