A Systematic Review of Recent Studies on Hospital Readmissions of Patients With Diabetes

Hospital readmissions are a major area of concern across the healthcare ecosystem. Diabetes mellitus (DM) and associated complications significantly contributed to hospital readmissions in 2018, placing it among the leading causes alongside septicemia and heart failure. Diabetes is an urgent public health concern that has reached epidemic proportions globally. Compared to the early 2000s, the prevalence of diabetes among individuals aged 20-79 years in the US has significantly increased. This research provides an in-depth examination of diabetes-related hospital readmissions and reviews recent studies (2015-2023) to understand the characteristics, risk factors, and potential outcomes for re-admitted diabetes patients. The study identified 21 articles that met the inclusion criteria to provide valuable insights and analyze risk factors associated with these readmissions. The findings indicated that risk factors such as age, demographics, income, insurance type, severity of illness, and comorbidities among diabetic patients were critical and warranted further investigation. Diabetes awareness, quality of hospital care, involvement of healthcare providers, timely screening, and lifestyle changes were noted as important factors to improve the effectiveness of healthcare delivery, reduce diabetes-related complications, and eventually lower preventable hospital readmissions.