Research on 2011 Readmissions available

In a readmissions report created by the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation (DFWHC Foundation) in August, claims data in 2011 for hospitalizations of patients 18 years and older from 77 acute care facilities was analyzed with surprising results.

Readmission rates, characteristics, patient age, gender, ethnicity, discharge status, payer and diagnoses were included in the study. Results showed that 14 percent of all hospitalizations for patients 18 years and older were followed by at least one readmission within 30 days. Readmissions for patients 85 and older (17.4 percent) were almost two times more likely to readmit as those who were aged 18-44 years (9.2 percent).

One in every 100 hospital stay (1 percent) was followed by readmission due to an infection or complication. Patients admitting for congestive heart failure (CHF) had the highest number of readmissions (2996) with a rate of 22.6 percent. Heart failure was the top reason for readmission for both the Medicare and uninsured patients. Medicaid patients were most often readmitted with complications of pregnancy. The top reason for an insured patient’s readmission was chemotherapy.

Results also revealed patients were most commonly readmitted for the same condition they were hospitalized for in the index stay. The top three conditions with the highest number of readmissions within 30 days were congestive heart failure, Septicemia and complication of device, implant or graft.

Patients initially admitted for congestive heart failure returned with the same condition, accounting for 38 percent of heart failure patients. The average length of stay was 5.61 days with a mortality rate of 3 percent.

For patients initially admitted for septicemia, 22 percent returned to the hospital within 30 days, with an average length of stay of 8.17 days.

Patients originally admitted for complication of device, implant or graft returned to the hospital 29 percent of the time, with a length of stay of 7.4 days.

Overall, Septicemia was in the top 50 percent of reasons why people readmit within 30 days from their index hospitalization. Additional research is necessary to determine the reasons why people are being readmitted for Septicemia.

Not all 30-day readmissions are preventable, with many planned due to follow-up treatments. Results show hospitals could decrease readmissions by reducing infection risks, paying closer attention to medication and ensuring discharge at an appropriate time according to the patient’s condition.

UPDATE: Table 3 – You can read the full report here