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Published on: June 10, 2025
Association between Timely Outpatient Visits and All-Cause Mortality and 30-Day Readmission in Patients with Heart
Su-Min Park1, Ah Jung Ko1, Ji Su Ko1
1Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Background:
The associations between delayed outpatient follow-up after discharge and the risks of readmission and mortality regarding heart failure (HF), as well as cause-specific readmission outcomes, remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of first post-discharge outpatient visit timing with all-cause mortality and 30-day all-cause readmission in patients with HF.
Methods:
Using data from the NHIS-National Sample conducted in 2004-2019, patients newly hospitalised for HF were identified. Cox proportional hazards models examined the association between the timing of the first post-discharge outpatient visit and all-cause mortality and 30-day readmission.
Results:
Patients whose first outpatient visit occurred >7 days after discharge had higher risks of all-cause mortality and 30-day readmission than those who visited within 7 days. A dose-response relationship was observed. Delayed outpatient follow-up was also associated with higher risks of cardiovascular mortality and heart failure-specific readmission.
Conclusions:
Outpatient follow-up within 7 days after discharge among patients hospitalized for heart failure was associated with significantly lower risks of 30-day readmission and long-term cardiovascular mortality.
