Potentially Preventable Readmissions After Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation

The aim of the study is to identify causes and risk factors for potentially preventable readmissions of patients discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Our hospital billing database was used to identify patients discharged from our inpatient rehabilitation facility between 2013 and 2018 and experienced a potentially preventable readmission within 90 days ( n = 75). Retrospective chart review was completed to obtain clinical data. Of the patients discharged from the inpatient rehabilitation facility who did not experience a potentially preventable readmission, a group of age- and sex-matched controls ( n = 75) was randomly selected. The two study groups were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Our study found that individuals who discharged from acute inpatient rehabilitation were more likely to be readmitted with a potentially preventable readmission if they have a greater number of comorbidities, were admitted initially with a spinal cord injury, or have lower admission or discharge Functional Independence Measure motor scores. The most common potentially preventable readmission diagnoses were sepsis, renal failure, respiratory problems, and urinary tract infection.

Identifying patients with the common causes for potentially preventable readmissions, in addition to the noted risk factors, is an important consideration for inpatient rehabilitation discharge planning.