How Accurate, Simple and Easy EKG Testing Helps SNFs Reduce Hospital Readmissions

The ability to quickly deliver accurate EKG testing in a skilled nursing facility is critical for triaging residents to determine if they are experiencing acute cardiac events. Without that capability, hospital readmission rates spike. With it, they can fall by close to 40%.

These are among the key takeaways that 20 SNFs learned following their implementation of the innovative EKG Patch Solution from MG Medical Products. The easy-to-use, diagnostic 12-lead EKG system allowed staff to acquire accurate EKG readings on a resident in less than five minutes. After a year of use, seven of the 20 facilities — known as “Top Utilizers” — were using the EKG Patch Solution for nearly all EKGs and saw a 36.8% drop in hospital readmission rates.

While facilities that were frequent utilizers of the product (but using it less than the Top Utilizers), also saw a drop in readmission rates, the remaining group of SNFs that had not fully converted to using the EKG Patch Solution actually saw an increase in their readmission rates.

Here is a look at the results of the study.

Understanding EKG testing in SNFs — and two key challenges

EKG testing is the most common diagnostic test used by physicians and clinicians in a very broad range of common, specialty and subspecialty areas. Having the ability to triage these cardiac events can have a direct and positive impact on unwarranted readmission rates to the hospital or emergency department.

Conventional 12-lead EKG testing has remained largely unchanged for over 100 years, and consists of bulky, outdated EKG machines with long lead wires that attach to the body via 10 electrodes. Placement of these electrodes on the body is key for test quality, accuracy and consistency, and errors in electrode lead placement remain pervasive, with up to 10% of EKG technicians making lead placement errors.

Typically, in a skilled nursing setting, EKG testing is completed by technicians of mobile diagnostic companies or performed using traditional EKG lead wires and machines available at the facility. This presents two issues:

1. Longer turnaround times lead to high readmission rates. The lack of availability and transportation time to and from facilities by mobile providers leads to longer turnaround times for EKGs, which can cause more frequent transport of residents to hospitals for potential cardiac events and can result in higher readmission rates. The visits required to perform EKG testing by mobile diagnostic companies also present a unique problem with recent COVID-19 guidelines in skilled nursing facilities regarding limiting visitors and reducing exposure to residents.
2. Maintenance and upkeep of EKG machines is difficult. Traditional EKG machines must be properly maintained and calibrated to stay in working order. The upkeep of these machines can be costly and, if not completed in a timely or complete manner, can negatively impact EKG testing capability. Additionally, the need to have a qualified and trained person in proper lead placement and EKG acquisition on staff and at the facility at all times can be a challenge.

The EKG Patch Solution: 3 readmissions datapoints from 20 SNFs

The EKG Patch Solution from MG Medical Products is kept on-site and available for use by staff 24/7. The closed-loop EKG Patch Solution features the novel EKG Patch, a pre-positioned electrode patch that allows for quick, consistent, and accurate application of electrodes every time with little technical expertise needed. The self-contained design of the EKG Patch eliminates lead placement errors and gives a consistent comparison for follow up EKG testing.

In 2021, a group of 20 SNFs implemented the EKG Patch Solution into their standard of care. After a year, the SNFs ended up in three groups based on utilization:

• “Top Utilizers” used the EKG Patch Solution for nearly all EKGs
• “Utilizers” used the EKG Patch Solution frequently but had not fully switched to the system
• “Non-Utilizers” had yet to launch the conversion to the EKG Patch Solution

Here is what they saw:

• Top Utilizers experienced a decrease in hospital readmission rates from 23.9% to 15.1%, a reduction of 36.8%
• Utilizers had a drop in hospital readmission rates from 22.8% to 20.8%, a reduction of 9%
• Non-Utilizers saw increased readmission rates from 23% to 26.7%, an increase of 16%

This data shows that the ability to rapidly triage acute cardiac symptoms in skilled nursing facilities can reduce hospital readmissions rates. SNFs are facing unprecedented challenges due to the rising cost of health care, COVID-19 and access to reliable and timely EKG testing. Use of the EKG Patch Solution from MG Medical Products can empower facilities to perform consistent, high-quality EKG testing on-site and provide best-in-class care for their residents.

Reduction of hospital readmission rates through use of the EKG Patch Solution can also help skilled nursing facilities achieve the incentive bonus from Medicare’s Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) program. SNF VBP pays incentives to facilities who can reduce their re-admissions.

In fact, as reported by Skilled Nursing News last month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will investigate skilled nursing facilities that had residents who had potentially preventable hospitalizations in its list of priorities over the next year.

“Understanding skilled nursing facilities’ costs is crucial to understanding the factors that contribute to nursing home performance and how nursing homes deliver care to beneficiaries,” the Inspector General (OIG) noted.

This article is sponsored by MG Medical Products. To learn more, visit mgmedpro.com or email [email protected].