[AVBC 2025] Reducing Hospital Readmissions through an Urgent Care Response Team (UCRT) in the Community
Care Process & Redesign
Appropriate & Value-based Care Conference
SingHealth
27 November 2025
The aim of the UCRT (Urgent Care Response Team) is to reduce hospital readmissions through timely community interventions. The intervention shows promise for improving patient care by reducing hospital readmissions and optimizing healthcare resources.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 27 November 2025
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Quality Improvement, Workflow Redesign, Productivity, Cost Saving, Time Saving, Access To Care, Readmission Rate
About this Content
Aims
The aim of the UCRT (Urgent Care Response Team) is to reduce hospital readmissions through timely community interventions and bridge critical gaps in the care continuum.
Background
In 2024, 3,548 patients identified as high utilizers accounted for a gross bill size exceeding $100 million in SGH. Many of these hospital readmissions are potentially preventable. A nurse-led multidisciplinary UCRT was established to address this issue.
Methods
A prospective observational study was conducted on patients enrolled between May and July 2025. The UCRT pilot features a 24-hour weekday hotline service, where nurses assess and triage patients to carry out appropriate tiers of intervention.
Results
During the 3-month pilot, UCRT managed 180 cases: 4 Tier 3 and 176 Tier 2 cases. 84.6% of cases discharged by UCRT did not have A&E visits or re-admissions within 30 days post-UCRT discharge. 87.5% of cases were successfully managed without escalation.
Conclusion
The intervention shows promise for improving patient care by reducing hospital readmissions and optimizing healthcare resources.
Lessons Learnt
Early results demonstrate the potential of UCRT in reducing hospital readmissions through timely intervention in the community while optimizing healthcare resources. These promising findings warrant service expansion and evaluation to validate its long-term impact.
Keywords
Readmissions, UCRT, Community, Intervention, Healthcare, Resources, Multidisciplinary
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | SingHealth |
Organization(s) Involved | Singapore General Hospital, Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore University of Technology and Design |
Platform(s) | Appropriate & Value-based Care Conference |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Nursing |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | General Medicine |
Project Lead(s) | Low Lian Leng |
Project Member(s) | Teo Cherlyen |
Connect with this contributor!
Teo Cherlyen - cherlyen.teo@singhealth.com.sg