Partnering to improve hospital-physician office communication through implementing care transitions best practices.

Quality Partners of Rhode Island, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization, was awarded a Medicare contract to implement a three-year care transitions program. The Safe Transitions Project aimed to improve the safety of patient care transitions by translating effective patient and provider interventions into sustainable systems change. After testing evidencebased interventions locally and systematically gathering input on physicians’ preferences and needs, Quality Partners collaborated with physicians, health plans and community leaders to develop a series of best practices intended to elevate the quality of communication between hospitals and community physician offices. Best practices are evidence-based care processes proven to improve care transitions outcomes.