A case-control study of rapid readmission in a state hospital population.

A case-control comparison of clinical and service system characteristics among chronic psychiatric patients with rapid readmission (within 90 days of discharge), patients with readmission after more than 90 days of community tenure, and nonreadmitted patients revealed several clinical variables (e.g., medication noncompliance, substance abuse, and disruptive behavior) to be associated with readmission regardless of community tenure. In contrast, two service system variables (discharge to a structured outpatient treatment program and adequacy of discharge planning) were more highly associated with rapid readmission than the other conditions, while availability of case management had no association with readmission, rapid or otherwise.