Saint Luke's Health System - Post-Discharge Recovery Collaboration between the Salvation Army and Saint Luke's Hospital

What is it?

Patient recovery rarely ends at discharge; some discharged patients do not have a safe and nurturing place to go for post-discharge recovery. When a patient is homeless or is returning to an unstable environment, recovery can be hampered and readmission rates are very high. Through a partnership with the Salvation Army, Saint Luke’s Hospital is helping patients in their recovery. Prior to discharge, patients’ needs are identified, and qualifying patients are transported to the Salvation Army center, where – in addition to home health services – they are provided shelter and access to social service programs for job placement, housing, and drug and alcohol recovery during convalescence. Saint Luke’s rents two beds at the Salvation Army’s Missouri Shield of Service drug and alcohol detoxification center in Kansas City for qualifying discharged patients, paying for additional beds as needed for overflow. At the center, patients have the appropriate tools and care to heal properly, including access to home health services, medications, IV and wound treatment supplies, visiting nurses and therapists, and medical equipment.

Who is it for?

Vulnerable patients that are homeless or come from an unstable environment.

Why do they do it?

The recovery collaboration was established to ensure that patients have a healing environment outside of the hospital that provides stability and a path to improved health and reduced readmissions.

Impact

In 2010, the collaboration between the Salvation Army and Saint Luke’s Hospital helped more than 41 patients and saved 324 hospital stay days, all for a cost of $22,540. If these patients had stayed in the hospital, the cost would have been more than $486,000.

Contact: Liz J. Cessor
Vice President, Mission and Community Services
Saint Luke’s Health System
Telephone: 816-932-6101
E-mail: ecessor@saint-lukes.org