This guide for hospital leaders and administrators provides strategies to assess, prioritize, implement, and monitor efforts to reduce avoidable readmissions and reduce costs in the health care system. A four-step approach is presented as an approach to follow at different stages of the care. The four steps are:

1. Examine your hospital's current rate of readmissions
2. Assess and prioritize your improvement opportunities
3. Develop an action plan of strategies to implement
4. Monitor your hospital’s progress