UC San Diego Health reduced hospital readmissions by 26% through its virtual transition of care clinic, according to a Sept. 23 study published in JMIR Medical Informatics. Launched in 2021, the virtual clinic connects moderate- to high-risk patients with care teams within one week of hospital discharge, the health system said in a Sept. 24 news release.

Among more than 25,000 patients included in the study, the 30-day readmission rate was 14.9% for those seen in the virtual clinic, compared to 20.1% in a benchmark group. The initiative is supported by 12 hospitalists, two medical assistants, a pharmacist and an on-demand interpreter service. Most visits were conducted via telemedicine, with phone visits used for patients lacking video access. The no-show rate was less than 5%. The clinic

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