Author: Alan Carter

The RARE Collaborative: Mental Health Care Transitions is a yearlong learning collaborative for organizations with inpatient mental health units. It is designed to support organizations in reducing readmissions for these patients and to improve their transition into post-acute care.

Using best and promising practices as well as evidence-based interventions; each organization’s team will be coached through the process of improvement. The collaborative will primarily use virtual meetings with a daylong session at the beginning and end of the year. Content will focus on the five key areas known to reduce avoidable readmissions. Participating organizations will be able to network with other participants as well as learn from national experts.

Participating Organizations

• Essentia Health East, Duluth
• Fairview Southdale Hospital
• Hennepin County Medical Center
• Mayo Clinic
• North Memorial Medical Center
• Regions Hospital
• St. Cloud Hospital
• St. Joseph’s Hospital, HealthEast Care System
• St. Luke’s, Duluth
• State of Minnesota/Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center and Community Behavioral Health Hospital –
• Rochester
• United Hospital
• University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview

Benefits of Participation

• Coaching tailored to your organization from your own resource consultant
• Opportunities to learn from state and national experts
• Share lessons learned with your peers in a supportive, collaborative environment
• Access to data on your hospital’s potentially preventable readmissions for this specific patient population
• Interventions based on best and promising practices as well as evidence-based interventions
• Interventions tailored to the needs of your organization

Expectations Include

• Attend two all-day learning sessions and monthly webinars. The first learning day is February 19, 2014. The
• second will occur in February of 2015
• Perform an assessment to identify your organization’s improvement opportunities
• Work on at least one of the five focus areas for reducing avoidable readmissions
• Share your outcomes and lessons learned
• Collect data as needed based on identified focus area
• Commit to sharing, learning and supporting others!