7-Day Pled g e

1. 7-Day Pledge

2. What is the pledge? • An acknowledgement that access to primary care is critical to managing and improving patient care, especially following a hospital visit. • Healthcare facilities pledge to accommodate primary care visit within 7 days of hospital discharge.

3. Why do we need the pledge? • Research shows that primary care visits within 7 days of discharge can reduce the likelihood of hospital readmissions. • Raises awareness within the community about the importance of prompt primary care visits post-hospital stay.

4. Number of Days to Readmission-30 Day Readmits in Link2Care 4 3 n o i s s i m d a e R o t s y a D f o r 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 e b m u N ) D I e u q i n U ( f o t n u o 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 15 16 20 27 29 13 of 29 in the first 7 days

5. # Patients with a 7-day PCP 24 # Patients without a 7-day PCP 100 30-day readmission rate 8% 30-day readmission rate 28% 24 8%

6. How does the pledge benefit your community? • Stronger physician-patient relationship. • Answering any questions about your new medications or health conditions. • Getting additional services you need to stay healthy. • Keeps Primary Care Provider Offices more accountable for listening to their patients’ needs.

7. How does the pledge benefit your community? • Allows healthcare resources to be more available to the community. • By keeping hospital beds open for the sickest patients • Members of the community can recover faster and return to their normal daily lives.

8. Who takes the pledge? Anyone!

9. What’s the future of the pledge? We’ll be getting support from institutions across Camden Healthcare Camden Community Executives, Clinical staff, Administrators Home Care Agencies Community Leaders Policy Makers Hospitals Public Officials Primary Care Providers Rehabilitation Facilities

10. Your responsibility as a member of 7 day pledge. Spread the pledge! Advocate for the sickest members of your community. Encourage those recently discharged to visit their family doctors.

11. The Pledge has been spread to 11 PCP offices and 4 Human Services organizations at this time..

12. What does the pledge look like? I agree that access to high quality primary care is critical to managing and improving patient health I am committed to practicing evidence-based medicine, and I acknowledge that a 7 day timeframe is important in reducing readmissions following inpatient hospital stay. I understand that patients face a variety of barriers to follow-up care, and will work with them to ensure 7 day appointments. I pledge to do everything in my power to make appointments available to patients within 7 days of discharge. I promise to educate my patients about the importance of prompt primary care follow-up appointments. I pledge 7 days.