Ludke RL, Booth BM, Guo L.
AHSR FHSR Annu Meet Abstr Book. 1996; 13: 131-2.
Health Services Administration, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH 45207-7331, USA.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationship between hospital readmission within 31 days of prior hospital discharge and the occurrence of Peer Review Organization (PRO) quality indicators during the preceding hospitalization. STUDY POPULATION: The data included 15,516 unique Medicare patients (4,481 readmitted and 11,035 nonreadmitted) reviewed by the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care from April 1, 1991 to March 31, 1992. STUDY DESIGN: Using a traditional case/control design controlling for age, gender, illness severity,a nd presence of surgery, this retrospective study tested whether: (1) readmitted patients are more likely than nonreadmitted patients to be discharged prematurely or to have inconsistent care during the first hospitalization, and equally likely to have similar problems during the second hospitalization; and, (2) there is a relationship between the occurrence of PRO quality indicators and time-to-readmission. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Rates of premature discharge and care problems during the first hospitalization for readmitted patients were significantly higher than those for nonreadmitted patients, whereas no significant differences were found between the two groups at the second hospitalization. Prematurely discharged or abnormally diagnosed patients were readmitted earlier than other patients. CONCLUSIONS: Early hospital readmissions may be a valid indicator of the quality of care provided during the preceding hospitalization, particularly in regards to the care provided at the end of the stay. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE AND POLICY: Reviews of inpatient hospitalization can detect the occurrence of premature discharges and abnormal diagnostic findings, and these occurrences may differ by readmission status when controlling for other factors that may contribute to early hospital readmission. The results provide a better understanding of the nature of early hospital readmissions, which have financial implications under a capitated managed care environment.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Humans
- Iowa
- Managed Care Programs
- Medicare
- Patient Discharge
- Patient Readmission
- Professional Review Organizations
- Quality Indicators, Health Care
- Retrospective Studies
- economics
- hsrmtgs
Other ID:
UI: 102222310
From Meeting Abstracts