BACKGROUND: Hospital readmissions are associated with poor patient outcomes and increased health resource utilisation. The need to study readmission patterns is even bigger during a pandemic because the burden is further stretching the healthcare system. METHODS: We reviewed the initial hospitalisation and subsequent readmission for 19 patients with confirmed COVID-19 in the largest statewide hospital network in Rhode Island, US, from March 1st through April 19th, 2020. We also compared the characteristics and clinical outcomes between readmitted and non-readmitted patients. RESULTS: Of the 339 hospitalised patients with COVID-19, 279 discharged alive. Among them, 19/279 were readmitted (6.8%) after a median of 5 days. There was a significantly higher rate of hypertension, diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease, liver disease, cancer and substance abuse among the readmitted compared with non-readmitted patients. The most common reasons of readmissions happening within 12 days from discharge included respiratory distress and thrombotic episodes, while those happening at a later time included psychiatric illness exacerbations and falls. The length of stay during readmission was longer than during index admission and more demanding on healthcare resources. CONCLUSION: Among hospitalised patients with COVID-19, those readmitted had a higher burden of comorbidities than the non-readmitted. Within the first 12 days from discharge, readmission reasons were more likely to be associated with COVID-19, while those happening later were related to other reasons. Readmissions characterisation may help in defining optimal timing for patient discharge and ensuring safe care transition.
BACKGROUND: Hospital readmissions are associated with poor patient outcomes and increased health resource utilisation. The need to study readmission patterns is even bigger during a pandemic because the burden is further stretching the healthcare system. METHODS: We reviewed the initial hospitalisation and subsequent readmission for 19 patients with confirmed COVID-19 in the largest statewide hospital network in Rhode Island, US, from March 1st through April 19th, 2020. We also compared the characteristics and clinical outcomes between readmitted and non-readmitted patients. RESULTS: Of the 339 hospitalised patients with COVID-19, 279 discharged alive. Among them, 19/279 were readmitted (6.8%) after a median of 5 days. There was a significantly higher rate of hypertension, diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease, liver disease, cancer and substance abuse among the readmitted compared with non-readmitted patients. The most common reasons of readmissions happening within 12 days from discharge included respiratory distress and thrombotic episodes, while those happening at a later time included psychiatric illness exacerbations and falls. The length of stay during readmission was longer than during index admission and more demanding on healthcare resources. CONCLUSION: Among hospitalised patients with COVID-19, those readmitted had a higher burden of comorbidities than the non-readmitted. Within the first 12 days from discharge, readmission reasons were more likely to be associated with COVID-19, while those happening later were related to other reasons. Readmissions characterisation may help in defining optimal timing for patient discharge and ensuring safe care transition.
Authors: Wenbo Wu; Garrett W Gremel; Kevin He; Joseph M Messana; Ananda Sen; Jonathan H Segal; Claudia Dahlerus; Richard A Hirth; Jian Kang; Karen Wisniewski; Tammie Nahra; Robin Padilla; Lan Tong; Haoyu Gu; Xi Wang; Megan Slowey; Ashley Eckard; Xuemei Ding; Lisa Borowicz; Juan Du; Brandon Frye; John D Kalbfleisch Journal: Kidney360 Date: 2022-04-15
Authors: Justin R Kingery; Paul Bf Martin; Ben R Baer; Laura C Pinheiro; Mangala Rajan; Adrienne Clermont; Sabrina Pan; Khoi Nguyen; Khalid Fahoum; Graham T Wehmeyer; Mark N Alshak; Han A Li; Justin J Choi; Martin F Shapiro; Margaret L McNairy; Monika M Safford; Parag Goyal Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2021-06-07 Impact factor: 6.473
Authors: Amy M Lavery; Leigh Ellyn Preston; Jean Y Ko; Jennifer R Chevinsky; Carla L DeSisto; Audrey F Pennington; Lyudmyla Kompaniyets; S Deblina Datta; Eleanor S Click; Thomas Golden; Alyson B Goodman; William R Mac Kenzie; Tegan K Boehmer; Adi V Gundlapalli Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2020-11-13 Impact factor: 17.586
Authors: John Broughan; Geoff McCombe; Gordana Avramovic; Des Crowley; Cheyenne Downey; Joanne Downey O'Sullivan; Ronan Fawsitt; Tina McHugh; Eileen O'Connor; Carla Perrotta; Aoife G Cotter; John S Lambert; Walter Cullen Journal: BJGP Open Date: 2021-06-30