Transition | Readings
The Return on Investment of Postdischarge Follow-Up Calls for Suicidal Ideation or Deliberate Self-Harm

Abstract: Providing follow-up calls to patients after they leave the hospital is not only good clinical practice, but it can help with the bottom line. In this study, the authors estimated the return on investment (ROI) for every $1 spent calling patients with suicidal ideation or deliberate self-harm who had been discharged from a hospital or emergency department. The ROI for the calls ranged from $1.76 to $2.43—a significant return that the authors concluded: “supports the business case for payers, particularly Medicaid, to invest in postdischarge follow-up calls."