Rates and Factors Associated With Short Stay Admissions and Readmissions Among Children and Youth With Complex...

Our objectives were to assess the rates of, variation in, and factors associated with short stay admissions (SSAs) and 7-day hospital readmissions after SSAs for children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs).

Retrospective analysis of children with >1 CCC who had a ≤1-day admission from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2025 in 47 children's hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information System. We conducted a multivariate analysis to examine risk factors for SSAs and 7-day readmissions after SSAs. Covariates included demographics, clinical factors, child opportunity index (COI), and ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs).

Of 1,268,019 hospital admissions for children with >1 CCC, 23.3% (n = 295,264) were SSAs, and the rate of SSA varied significantly across hospitals (range: 17.1-29.9%). Higher odds of SSA were associated with high COI, having only one CCC, and admission for ACSC. The 7-day hospital readmission after SSA was 5.8%. Higher odds of readmission were associated with more than one CCC and prior ICU admission.

SSAs accounted for nearly one-in-four admissions for children with CCCs, and 7-day readmission rates after SSAs were low. Short stay admissions may represent opportunities to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations for children with CCCs.