Effect of a Pediatric Prescription Medication Discharge Program on Reducing Hospital Readmission Rates.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the pediatric prescription medication discharge delivery and counseling program, implemented at an 186-bed children's hospital integrated within a larger academic medical center, and its effectiveness on reducing hospital readmissions.
METHODS: This study was a retrospective chart review of existing data in the electronic medical record from patients <21 years of age who were discharged from our institution between September 1, 2014, and November 30, 2014. Patients who participated in the pediatric discharge program were compared to non-participants. The primary objective was to determine if the patient was readmitted within 30 days. Secondary objectives included time until readmission, diagnosis at discharge, and hospital unit at discharge.
RESULTS: In total, 1804 patients were assessed. After exclusions, 932 subjects were included in the analysis. In total, 393 (42.2%) patients participated in the pediatric medication discharge and counseling program, and 539 did not participate. Of the patients who participated in the program, 52 were readmitted within 30 days (13.2%), compared with 67 patients (12.4%) who did not participate in the discharge program, p = 0.717. Patients with the diagnoses of malignancy and kidney injury were more likely to be readmitted within this time frame, and those with the diagnoses of heart defects or cardiology disorders and malignancy were more likely to participate in the pediatric prescription medication discharge program.
CONCLUSION: Participation in the pediatric discharge medication delivery and counseling program did not reduce hospital readmission rate within 30 days.