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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.
Acute Medicine
|October 21, 2016
Summary
The Better Outcomes for Older Adults through Safe Transitions (BOOST) tool effectively predicts hospital readmissions in UK patients over 65. It identified 90% of readmissions using two or more risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Risk Assessment
Background:
- 30-day hospital readmissions pose a significant challenge in healthcare.
- The Better Outcomes for Older Adults through Safe Transitions (BOOST) tool is a risk assessment instrument.
- Its applicability within the UK healthcare system requires evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the suitability of the BOOST risk assessment tool for predicting hospital readmissions in the UK.
- To evaluate the BOOST tool's performance in a UK patient population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of case notes for patients aged 65 and over who were readmitted.
- Application of the BOOST assessment tool, assigning one point per identified risk factor.
- Analysis of readmission data and BOOST scores.
Main Results:
- 324 patients aged 65+ were readmitted, with a median time of 7 days between discharge and readmission.
- The median BOOST score was 3, with polypharmacy (88%) and prior hospitalization (70%) being common risk factors.
- The BOOST tool predicted 90% of readmissions with two or more risk factors and 99.1% with one or more risk factors.
Conclusions:
- The BOOST assessment tool demonstrates appropriateness for predicting hospital readmissions in the UK.
- Further research is needed to refine the precision of the BOOST tool in this population.
