Risk Factors and Effects of Care Management on Hospital Readmissions Among High Users at an Academic Medical Center

Few studies have examined predictors of hospital readmission among high-using patients enrolled in a behaviorally oriented intensive care management program. The purpose of this case control study was to describe risk factors and the effectiveness of a complex care management program for hospital readmission among vulnerable patients at a large academic medical center. One hundred sixty-three patients enrolled in the University of Michigan Complex Care Management Program (UM CCMP) were hospitalized between January 2014 and March 2015. Sixty were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Among all patients, the mean age was 51.1 years, 38.7% were non-White, 81.5% had Medicaid and/or Medicare, 50.3% were without stable housing, and 27.6% had significant psychiatric illnesses. Although mostly not statistically significant, multivariable risk of readmission was increased by having twice the mean number of hospitalizations in the last 6 months (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% CI [1.00, 2.06]), having chronic pain on a scheduled narcotic (OR = 1.49, 95% CI [0.67, 3.35]), and going to a primary care physician within 30 days of discharge (OR = 1.35, 95% CI [0.63, 2.89]). Risk was decreased by going to a specialist (OR = 0.54, 95% CI [0.23, 1.27]) and receiving moderate-intensity CCMP intervention (OR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.20, 1.19]). Among hospitalized high-using patients enrolled in the UM intensive care management program, readmission is likely significantly influenced by medical, behavioral, and social challenges. Care management appears most effective in preventing readmission among patients with mid- rather than high- or low-level needs. These findings at a single program should be explored in further, larger studies.