Effect of Community Health Workers on 30-Day Hospital Readmissions in an Accountable Care Organization Population: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Authors: Jocelyn Carter, Susan Hassan, Anne Walton, Liyang Yu, Karen Donelan, and Anne N. Thorndike

Understanding how to reduce hospital readmissions is important for reducing costs and has been a key focus of accountable care organizations (ACOs). This randomized clinical trial evaluated the usefulness of pairing ACO-insured adults with community health workers (CHWs) to reduce hospital readmission rates within 30 days of discharge. The authors found that the pairing of CHWs to adults insured by ACOs reduced readmission rates and rates of missed outpatient visits 30 days post discharge. The results highlight the value of CHWs in helping to coordinate continuity of care.