[Hospital readmission rate and associated factors among health services enrollees in Colombia]

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hospital readmissions represent a significant burden on healthcare systems globally.
• Limited data exists regarding the prevalence and factors associated with hospital readmissions in Colombia.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of 30-day all-cause hospital readmissions in Colombia.
• To identify factors associated with these hospital readmissions.
• To analyze the impact of readmissions on mortality, length of stay, and healthcare costs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analytical cohort study.
• Involved 64,969 hospitalizations across 47 Colombian cities from January 2008 to January 2009.
• Analyzed data on readmission rates, patient demographics, diagnoses, length of stay, mortality, and costs.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of 30-day hospital readmissions was 10.1% (10.9% in men, 9.5% in women).
• Readmissions were associated with significantly higher mortality (5.8% vs. 1.8%) and longer mean length of stay (7 days vs. 4.5 days).
• Higher readmission rates were observed in patients with circulatory system diseases, hematological diseases, neoplasms, referred patients (18.8%), and those from outpatient clinics (13.7%).

Conclusions:

• Hospital readmissions are a frequent and costly issue in Colombia, linked to increased mortality and prolonged hospital stays.
• Risk factors for readmission include male sex, age over 65, referral from other institutions, hematological diseases, and neoplasms.
• These findings highlight the need for improved post-discharge care and targeted interventions for high-risk patient groups.