Pender Memorial Hospital, Burgaw, North Carolina

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February 2015
Organization: 
Pender Memorial Hospital (PMH)

In conjunction with New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC), Pender Memorial Hospital (PMH), located in Burgaw, North Carolina, successfully implemented the Transitions in Care program. The program is run by the hospital-owned and operated home care agency and provides telehealth for congestive heart failure patients to assist patients with self-managing cardiac disease, reducing readmissions and encouraging independent living for seniors.

Positive Outcomes:

  • Successfully implemented telehealth program as part of an accountable care organization (ACO)
  • Telehealth program patients’ 30-day readmission rate was half the rate of patients not participating in the telehealth program
  • Asked to submit a grant to expand program to additional 300 patients


Top Accomplishments:

PMH was awarded the certificate based on their innovative use of telehealth in care transitions and discharge planning to reduce readmissions rate for congestive heart failure patients in an isolated rural area of the state. Upon reciept of the award, Pender Memorial Hospital President, Ruth Glaser, stated, “Our organizational goal is to provide patients with quality care in the most efficient manner, and to provide the essential resources to our community members who often lack the resources and live far from medical care.”

This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB1RH24206, Information Services to Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Grantees, $1,100,000 (0% financed with nongovernmental sources). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.