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Can we predict Acute Medical readmissions using the BOOST tool? A retrospective case note review
Geraldine A Lee1, Daniel Freedman2, Penelope Beddoes2
1Senior Lecturer, King's College London, London SE1 8WA.
Background:
Readmissions within 30-days of hospital discharge are a problem. The aim was to determine if the Better Outcomes for Older Adults through Safe Transitions (BOOST) risk assessment tool was applicable within the UK.
Methods:
Patients over 65 readmitted were identified retrospectively via a casenote review. BOOST assessment was applied with 1 point for each risk factor.
Results:
324 patients were readmitted (mean age 77 years) with a median of 7 days between discharge and readmission. The median BOOST score was 3 (IQR 2-4) with polypharmacy evident in 88% and prior hospitalisation in 70%. The tool correctly predicted 90% of readmissions using two or more risk factors and 99.1% if one risk factor was included.
Conclusion:
The BOOST assessment tool appears appropriate in predicting readmissions however further analysis is required to determine its precision.
