Reducing readmissions at Annapolis, Md.-based Luminis Health begins well before patients leave the hospital.
For Catherine Maloney, the system’s new executive vice president and COO, preventing avoidable readmissions hinges on improved coordination across outpatient, primary care and hospital settings — not just discharge planning. It is a top operational priority for the health system as it looks ahead to 2026, both from a community health and reimbursement standpoint, she told Becker’s.
“How are we preventing any readmissions we can from coordinating care, both from when they start in primary care or if they have to come into a hospital setting?” she said. “What’s the handoff once they leave our hospital setting? It’s about making sure that we’ve set them up with the proper resources.”
Ms. Maloney joined Luminis Health in September after nearly 20 years at Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare, where she most recently served as COO for Emory University Hospital and Emory University Orthopedics and Spine Hospital. In her new role, she also serves as president of Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.
Reducing readmissions, she said, requires systems to consider the entire patient journey.
“It’s really the full continuum — not just episodic care, but thinking in broader terms,” she said. “This organization does a great job of keeping the patient journey in mind and not just from a siloed encounter.”
That philosophy has shaped Luminis Health’s care coordination strategy, especially for older patients and those with chronic conditions. The system has invested in programs aimed at improving transitions, managing conditions earlier and supporting patients in the community.
Specific investments include CareLinX — a dedicated team of healthcare professionals providing support for 30 days after patients leave the hospital through an integrated health program designed to reduce avoidable admissions and readmissions for patients with congestive heart failure — and the system’s acute care for the elderly unit.
A new challenge for Ms. Maloney since relocating to Maryland has been adapting to the state’s unique reimbursement model. She said state and federal reimbursement changes could reduce payments and discourage marketplace coverage, potentially causing patients to delay care.
“We saw some of this during COVID, but the question is will people delay getting care?” she said. “When they actually do seek care, are they coming in at a higher acuity level?”
Such a dynamic can increase pressure on emergency departments, especially when patients face barriers to primary care and preventive services. To mitigate those risks, Luminis Health has strengthened care coordination programs that extend beyond its hospitals.
Workforce as a key priority
In her first 90 days, Ms. Maloney has prioritized understanding the patient experience and listening to workforce needs. That includes staffing and well-being efforts, such as a philanthropy-funded lounge offering employees a quiet space to decompress.
“It’s intended to ‘get away,'” she said. “If we can make sure our workforce feels supported, not only are they going to provide better experiences for our patients and families, it’s going to make sure that they are going to want to stay with us — and stay in the medical profession.”
Workforce safety is also top of mind. Luminis Health has added weapons detection systems at its emergency departments and invested in de-escalation training for frontline staff.
“The other piece is making sure we have the right staffing from our security teams,” she said. “Are we making sure that people know we don’t tolerate disruptive behavior to our staff?”
All Luminis Health leaders prioritize at least three hours each week of rounding throughout the hospitals. One goal of these rounds is to “close the loop” — ensuring leaders follow up on safety concerns or improvement ideas raised by staff.
Technology investments are another pillar of workforce support, though they also present operational challenges. The health system continues to invest in its EHR and safety tools, even as the pace and cost of change remain difficult, Ms. Maloney said.
Administrative burden is another pressure point, particularly around documentation and billing. To help ease that burden, Luminis Health has adopted AI tools, including ambient listening technology in outpatient and emergency settings.
“Technology can be our friend, but it can also be challenging, because there’s a high expectation for the uptake,” Ms. Maloney said. “We’re not always reimbursed for having the latest and greatest technology. It’s making sure we can evolve as the technology does, but also being able to rapidly put it into practice.”
