Patient readmission to critical care units during the same hospitalization at a community teaching hospital.

The incidence and cause of patient readmission, during the same hospitalization, to a critical care unit was studied in an urban community teaching hospital. During a 12-month period, there were 1069 admissions to the critical care units with 640 patients being at risk for readmission. The readmission rate was 11.7%. Prematurity of transfer out of a critical care unit may have been a contributing factor in 4.2% of the readmissions. Cardiac and respiratory problems were the major contributing causes for readmission. Improved communication between physicians, nurses and therapists could probably decrease premature transfers that contribute to readmission. Enhanced awareness of need for, and ability to provide aggressive pulmonary toilet may diminish the incidence of respiratory relapse. More data is needed regarding acceptable readmission rates; prospective studies are needed to better define the patient population at risk.