Hospital readmission among long-term ventilator patients.

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Long-term ventilator (LTV) patients require prolonged mechanical ventilation.
• Understanding post-discharge outcomes for LTV patients is crucial for improving care transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of hospital readmission for LTV patients within six months of discharge.
• To identify risk factors associated with hospital readmission in this population.

Main Methods:

• Prospective longitudinal descriptive study design.
• Inclusion of 199 ICU patients requiring >96 hours of mechanical ventilation.
• Analysis using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and survival analysis.

Main Results:

• The 6-month hospital readmission rate was 38%.
• Readmissions were most frequent within 60 days post-discharge.
• Predictors of readmission included: length of hospital stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and need for oxygen at discharge.
• Age 66-71 was a significant risk factor for 30-day readmission.

Conclusions:

• LTV patients are at high risk for hospital readmission.
• Closer follow-up within the first 60 days post-discharge may reduce readmission rates.
• Further research is needed to optimize post-discharge care strategies for LTV patients.