Table 5.
Studies of preventable readmissions for other conditions among adults, United States, 2000-2009
| Citation | Reported readmission type (and explanation if provided) | Index condition* | Readmit condition | Timeframe | Population and Setting | Design and Sample size | Data source(s) | Risk factors/associated factors | Conceptually linked admissions† | Strategy for patient linkage‡ | Used multivariate statistics§ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Solh et al [51] | Late unplanned | Pneumonia | Pneumonia | 30 days to 1 year | Patients ≥65 years from 3 university affiliated hospitals | Case control (408) |
Multiple hospital databases |
Patient Increasing ADL score (more dependent) Smoking Swallowing dysfunction Pneumovax (less likely) Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (less likely) Tranquilizer |
Yes | No | Yes |
| Jiang et al [31] | Potentially preventable (complication more likely preventable with effective postdischarge care) |
10 diagnosis of diabetes or 20 diabetes diagnosis among high risk conditions | Diabetes - related | 30 and 180 days | Diabetics ≥18 years in Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project from CA, MO, NY, TN, VA |
Retrospective cohort (130,751) |
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project |
Patient Hispanic (30 and 180 days) Black (180 days) |
Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Marwitz et al [49] | Unplanned, non-elective | Traumatic brain injury | Any non-elective or unplanned reason | 1 and 5 years | NIDRR Traumatic Brain Injury Program from 17 medical centers nationwide | Prospective cohort (895) |
NIDRR Model Systems for Traumatic Brain Injury database |
Environment Private residence less likely |
Yes | Yes | No |
| Robbins and Webb [41] | Unplanned, undesirable readmissions |
Diabetes | Any non-elective | 30 days | Diabetics ages 25 - 84 from Philadelphia | Retrospective cohort (291,752) |
Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council database |
Patient Male Increasing age less likely African American Hispanic less likely Asian Other/unknown race-ethnicity Increasing severity class Increasing number of prior hospitalizations Encounter Medicaid less likely than Medicare Private insurance less likely than Medicare Uninsured/self-pay less likely than Medicare Increasing length of stay Discharged to other institution Discharged to home health Discharged against medical advice |
No | Yes | Yes |
| Weaver et al [52] | Unplanned | Cancer | Any unplanned | 7 days | Cancer patients from cancer center in PA | Case control (78) |
Chart review |
Patient Gastrointestinal cancer Financial or insurance problems Living alone Environment Caregiver difficulty |
No | No | No |
* All exclusion criteria or specific diagnostic codes not reported - see original article for additional details.
† Explicitly specified a biological, theoretical or conceptual model linking the readmission condition to the index condition (includes readmissions for same condition)
‡ Specified a strategy or research design to guard against loss to follow up
§ Used multivariate statistics
NIDRR = National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research