HEALTHCARE ARTICLE
A Proven Strategy for Reduced Readmissions
Reducing hospital readmissions remains one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare. It’s not just about minimizing penalties or improving performance metrics. It’s about ensuring that patients leave the hospital with the confidence, clarity, and tools needed to manage their recovery safely and successfully.
Across the country, hospitals are rethinking their discharge processes to reduce avoidable readmissions. Central to many of these efforts is an emphasis on better patient education, stronger provider-patient communication, and the use of accessible, structured discharge tools like custom-designed Patient Folders.
The Discharge Problem: When Clarity Ends, Readmissions Begin
Discharge is often the most rushed, under-supported phase of a patient’s hospital experience. Too often, patients are handed a stack of discharge documents that are confusing, filled with medical jargon, or lacking key contact information. In these moments, vital instructions about medication, follow-up appointments, or warning signs can be misunderstood or forgotten entirely.
Research consistently shows that poor discharge communication is a significant driver of readmissions. A 2022 study in BMJ Quality & Safety reported that nearly 1 in 5 patients experiences an adverse event post-discharge, many linked directly to medication errors or misunderstandings.
So what’s the solution? Hospitals that are closing the gap between discharge and recovery are turning to customized Patient Folders that centralize all the critical information patients need in formats they can understand, use, and refer back to.
What Makes Patient Folders Effective?
Custom-designed Patient Folders differ from standard printouts in both form and function. These folders:
- Organize discharge instructions, medication info, and follow-up care into clearly marked sections
- Use visual cues, graphics, and plain language to make health instructions easier to understand
- Can include fillable medication logs, symptom trackers, and appointment calendars
- Offer a detachable Medical ID card patients can carry with them
- Enhance education and care compliance through easy-to-navigate and access resources
- Encourage better communication between patients and follow-up care providers
When implemented system-wide, these folders also bring structure and consistency to a hospital’s discharge process, helping care teams ensure nothing critical is missed.
Real-World Success: Our Client’s Acute Care Hospital Transformation Story
A strong example of this approach comes from one of our client’s acute care hospitals. Their facility dramatically improved its national care ratings by redesigning its discharge process with patients at the center and our custom Patient Folders played a key role in that success.
In 2019, a patient experience improvement initiative was launched to address systemic issues around patient satisfaction and readmissions. At the time, the hospital ranked near the bottom nationally in overall patient satisfaction metrics and quality performance indicators.
Through their transformative journey, they prioritized data analysis, employee engagement, and patient feedback as daily operating principles. As part of their improvement strategy, they integrated our custom Patient Folders into their workflow.
At admission, each patient received a personalized folder containing:
- Discharge checklist and instructions
- List of important contact’s phone numbers
- Sections for medication information, educational printouts, follow-up details
- A tear-away, easy-to-carry, personal Medical ID card
- QRCs for quick access to patient portal and additional online resources
- Included in the folder is a printed booklet that includes a welcome message from the director, important phone numbers, visitation, what to expect and other general details
- Printed patient resources based on their diagnoses and care needs
This wasn’t a standalone initiative. The folders were part of a broader patient-centered care culture. Pharmacy staff walked patients through medication instructions at the bedside using the folder. Nurses and care coordinators used the folders as discharge anchors. Discharge case managers referenced the folders during their follow-up calls after discharge.
The result?
The hospital was ranked fourth in the nation for having the lowest readmission rates hospital-wide by Becker’s Hospital Review.
Discharge Planning Starts at Admission
While folders are a critical tool, they work best when paired with an early and proactive discharge strategy. Discharge planning was embedded into admission protocols as a result. From day one, patients were flagged for high readmission risk, and the care team began preparing folders accordingly.
Hospitals across the country can adopt a similar model by:
- Engaging staff at all levels and responsibilities
- Leveraging data and patient feedback
- Planning discharge at the point of admission
- Incorporating Patient Folders as a central communication tool
- Training staff to use folders during bedside education and rounding
- Educating on care instructions, medication, and follow-up expectations early
- Standardizing follow-up outreach using information from the folder
By the time discharge arrives, the patient isn’t overwhelmed. They’re confident in their next steps and ready to adhere to their care plan.
Supporting the Staff as Well as the Patient
One often-overlooked benefit of Patient Folders is the structure they provide for healthcare staff. In busy environments, where time is limited and multiple providers touch the patient’s journey, folders become a communication bridge.
Nurses, pharmacists, and care coordinators all refer to the same tool. They know where to find specific information and can quickly update or review sections with patients. At the hospital, the folder even supported patient advocates during daily rounding, enabling quick resolution of concerns and reinforcing continuity of care.
To support the rollout of the new discharge process, a comprehensive Implementation Toolkit was provided to help project leaders and staff effectively integrate Patient Folders into their workflows.
The toolkit included:
- A step-by-step guide to help project leads introduce the new process and onboard staff
- A practical reference guide for using Patient Folders with both patients and colleagues
- Customizable email templates to promote awareness and encourage adoption
- Print-ready posters to remind patients to take their folders home and refer to them post-discharge
This resource ensured staff across departments were aligned, confident, and equipped to make the most of the new discharge workflow, ultimately reinforcing consistent communication and better patient outcomes.
Follow-Up Becomes More Effective and Personalized
Post-discharge follow-up is another critical stage where folders offer value. Whether it’s a nurse calling 48 hours after discharge or a provider seeing the patient for follow-up, having a folder with clearly logged instructions, symptom tracking, and appointment reminders makes the conversation more productive.
In their model, follow-up calls referenced the same Patient Folder patients had at home, making communication more specific and aligned. Patients knew who to call, where to turn, and what red flags to report.
Measurable Impact and Takeaways for Other Hospitals
The patient experience improvement initiative proves that hospitals don’t need high-tech platforms or huge investments to drive measurable change.
Instead, they need:
Clear Processes and Workflows
Thoughtful Staff Engagement
Consistent and Comprehensive Patient Education
Supportive Structured Tools Like Custom Patient Folders
These strategies helped the hospital move from bottom quartile in patient ratings to top-four nationally in reducing readmissions. While every facility’s journey is unique, similar approaches can be adapted to achieve meaningful, measurable improvements.
Conclusion: Structured Communication Lowers Readmissions
At its core, reducing readmissions is about making sure patients leave care settings with the tools they need to stay well. That includes understanding their medications, knowing when to follow up, recognizing when something’s wrong and having a place to find all that information quickly.
Hospitals that adopt a patient-first, education-focused discharge model see real improvements, not just in metrics, but in trust, loyalty, and long-term outcomes. Custom-designed Patient Folders, like the ones they used at their hospital, offer a practical way and proven method to support that mission.
FAQs
- How did our client’s hospital use Patient Folders to improve outcomes?
They used folders to centralize discharge materials, educate patients on medications at the bedside, support follow-up care, and streamline staff communication—contributing to their rise from the bottom quintile to a top national rank. - What makes these folders different from standard discharge papers?
They are highly engaging, patient-friendly, and include sections like medication trackers, ID cards, and follow-up logs—designed for real use beyond the hospital stay. - Can these folders be tailored to specific departments or conditions?
Yes. Many hospitals tailor the content by service line, condition (e.g., cardiac, post-surgical), or even patient preferred language to make them more relevant, useful, and comprehensible. - What are the first steps to implementing Patient Folders?
Start by forming a cross-functional team to define folder content, train staff to use them consistently, and integrate them into discharge planning protocols through follow-ups. - Are these folders effective even in small or rural hospitals?
Absolutely. Their value lies in organization, clarity, and patient empowerment, all of which benefit any hospital, regardless of size or location.
Request Your Free Folder Samples?
One of our dedicated account representatives would be happy to talk to you about the added benefits of our Patient Folders and Printed Patient Materials (Inserts, Brochures, Booklets, etc.) Send us a message, give us a call at 877.434.5464 or request samples to get started.