Improvements in Care-Transitions: A Case Study of St. Luke's Hospital
January 2012
St. Luke's Hospital is a private hospital serving Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and surrounding suburbs. St. Luke's is part of the Iowa Health System, a non-profit corporation and the largest integrated health system in the Iowa/Western Illinois region. St. Luke's is recognized for its heart care, newborn intensive care, physical medicine, and rehabilitation and trauma care. It has also won several national distinctions as a healthcare leader. This study focuses on four critical capabilities that were the cornerstones of St. Luke's Hospital's care redesign work: cross-continuum participation and alignment; development and use of standardized tools and compatible information infrastructure; horizontal leadership and executive sponsorship; and effective external and internal learning. The study also shares how St. Luke's Hospital translated those capabilities into effective programmatic action.