Hospital readmissions: patient, carer and clinician views

To explore patients, carers, and clinician views and identify factors, which affect the likelihood of hospital readmission. Methods A cross sectional retrospective study of adult medical patients readmitted to hospital within 28 days of discharge. Medical and nursing records were reviewed and patients and their carers were interviewed regarding their views about their discharge and readmission. Data were collected regarding demographic, social and medical profiles. Results Seventy-seven patients were readmitted over a five-week period out of 1289 patients discharged during the previous five weeks, representing a 6% readmission rate. Mean (SD) age of readmitted patients was 71.3 (14.6) years. Forty patients (51.9%) were aged =75 and 39 (50.6%) were males. Mean (SD) number of comorbidities was 3.68 (1.82). Mean (SD) number of medications was 7.79 (4.14). Most common reasons for readmission were exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute coronary syndrome. Mean (SD) time to readmission was 11.6 (8.2) days. Fifty (64.9%) patients were readmitted within 14 days of discharge. Forty eight (62.3%) patients were readmitted with the same medical condition as their previous discharge. Fifty (64.9%) patients and 45 (66.2%) carers felt that discharge was appropriate. Forty five (58.0%) patients and 44 (57.0%) carers thought that readmission was unavoidable. Clinicians considered 56 (72.7%) discharges appropriate and 55 (71.5%) readmissions unavoidable. A trend towards higher readmission rate among patients = 75 years was noted (7.2% vs 5.1%, p=0.1). Conclusion Although the majority of discharges are appropriate, up to a third of readmissions may be avoidable in the views of carers, patients and clinicians. Patients and carers should be consulted regarding readiness for discharge before leaving hospital.