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Clinical question: What are the differences between factors associated with early (zero to seven days after discharge) and late (eight to 30 days after discharge) readmission?
Background: Thirty-day readmission rates are a quality metric; however, recent evidence challenges the notion that readmissions represent unnecessary and preventable healthcare use. It remains unclear whether the 30-day window post-discharge represents a homogenous period or if there are factors that contribute to readmission during that time.
Study design: Retrospective, single-center, cohort study.
Setting: Large, urban teaching hospital.
Synopsis: Based on 13,355 admissions representing 8,078 patients over a two-year period, the overall readmission rate was 19.7%, with 7.8% early (zero to seven days post-discharge) readmissions, and 11.9% late (eight to 30 days post-discharge) readmissions. Variables were categorized as indicators of acute illness burden, chronic illness burden, patient care process factors, and social determinants of health.
Several markers of acute illness burden were associated with early readmission only. Some markers of chronic illness burden were associated with late readmissions only (e.g. hemodialysis), while others were associated with readmissions throughout the 30-day period. Worse social determinants of health increased odds of readmission in both periods.
The single-center study was able to examine detailed clinical variables; however, this approach limited the generalizability of the the results.
Bottom line: Policies to reduce 30-day readmissions should reflect the different risk factors at play across that time frame.
Citation: Graham KL, Wilker EH, Howell MD, Davis RB, Marcantonio ER. Differences between early and late readmissions among patients: A cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(11):741-749.
Clinical question: What are the differences between factors associated with early (zero to seven days after discharge) and late (eight to 30 days after discharge) readmission?
Background: Thirty-day readmission rates are a quality metric; however, recent evidence challenges the notion that readmissions represent unnecessary and preventable healthcare use. It remains unclear whether the 30-day window post-discharge represents a homogenous period or if there are factors that contribute to readmission during that time.
Study design: Retrospective, single-center, cohort study.
Setting: Large, urban teaching hospital.
Synopsis: Based on 13,355 admissions representing 8,078 patients over a two-year period, the overall readmission rate was 19.7%, with 7.8% early (zero to seven days post-discharge) readmissions, and 11.9% late (eight to 30 days post-discharge) readmissions. Variables were categorized as indicators of acute illness burden, chronic illness burden, patient care process factors, and social determinants of health.
Several markers of acute illness burden were associated with early readmission only. Some markers of chronic illness burden were associated with late readmissions only (e.g. hemodialysis), while others were associated with readmissions throughout the 30-day period. Worse social determinants of health increased odds of readmission in both periods.
The single-center study was able to examine detailed clinical variables; however, this approach limited the generalizability of the the results.
Bottom line: Policies to reduce 30-day readmissions should reflect the different risk factors at play across that time frame.
Citation: Graham KL, Wilker EH, Howell MD, Davis RB, Marcantonio ER. Differences between early and late readmissions among patients: A cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(11):741-749.
Clinical question: What are the differences between factors associated with early (zero to seven days after discharge) and late (eight to 30 days after discharge) readmission?
Background: Thirty-day readmission rates are a quality metric; however, recent evidence challenges the notion that readmissions represent unnecessary and preventable healthcare use. It remains unclear whether the 30-day window post-discharge represents a homogenous period or if there are factors that contribute to readmission during that time.
Study design: Retrospective, single-center, cohort study.
Setting: Large, urban teaching hospital.
Synopsis: Based on 13,355 admissions representing 8,078 patients over a two-year period, the overall readmission rate was 19.7%, with 7.8% early (zero to seven days post-discharge) readmissions, and 11.9% late (eight to 30 days post-discharge) readmissions. Variables were categorized as indicators of acute illness burden, chronic illness burden, patient care process factors, and social determinants of health.
Several markers of acute illness burden were associated with early readmission only. Some markers of chronic illness burden were associated with late readmissions only (e.g. hemodialysis), while others were associated with readmissions throughout the 30-day period. Worse social determinants of health increased odds of readmission in both periods.
The single-center study was able to examine detailed clinical variables; however, this approach limited the generalizability of the the results.
Bottom line: Policies to reduce 30-day readmissions should reflect the different risk factors at play across that time frame.
Citation: Graham KL, Wilker EH, Howell MD, Davis RB, Marcantonio ER. Differences between early and late readmissions among patients: A cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(11):741-749.