US healthcare company Aetna is set to expand its clinical programme to ten hospitals by the end of the year, with rollouts already underway at WakeMed Health & Hospitals, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and Houston Methodist.

The Aetna Clinical Collaboration (ACC) programme embeds Aetna nurses within partner hospitals to work alongside clinical teams, focusing on support for Medicare Advantage members during and after discharge, whether they return home or transfer to skilled nursing facilities.

It aims to cut 30-day readmission rates and emergency department visits for Aetna Medicare Advantage members, while also reducing administrative workloads for hospital staff.

Aetna chief medical officer and senior vice-president Dr Ben Kornitzer said: “Hospital discharge is one of the most important—and vulnerable—moments in a patient’s journey.

“Patients may be managing new diagnoses, complex medications, and follow-up needs, all while coping with the stress of transitioning back home or to a new facility.

“By embedding Aetna nurses within hospitals, we’re partnering with care teams to ensure that members are supported every step of the way and have the right services to stay well and avoid complications that could lead to readmission.”

The initial ACC programme started earlier this year. Approximately one in four enrolled members now actively engage with an Aetna care manager.

At full scale, the programme is expected to minimise year-over-year 30-day readmissions and average hospital stays by 5%.

Aetna provides Medicare Advantage coverage to more than four million people aged 65 and above and plans further ACC expansion across its network in the future.

The company will also extend the programme to its commercial members.