Table 3.
Factors contributing to readmission
| Days between admissions
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total (n=202) |
≤3 (n=93) |
>3 (n=109) |
|
| Outpatient follow-up | 43% | 41% | 46% |
| Missed appointment | 56 (26%) | 23 (25%) | 33 (30%) |
| Did not understand follow-up instructions | 3 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (2%) |
| Clinic unable to provide services | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Other problem | 33 (16%) | 18 (19%) | 14 (13%) |
| Referrals | 56% | 63% | 48% |
| Did not use referral | 95 (46%) | 51 (55%) | 44 (40%) |
| Facility unable to provide services | 4 (2%) | 4 (4%) | 0 (0%) |
| Referral not given | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Other problem | 16 (8%) | 8 (9%) | 8 (7%) |
| Transportation | 14% | 13% | 14% |
| Transportation not available for medical appointment | 2 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (2%) |
| Transportation not available for psychiatric appointment | 5 (2%) | 3 (3%) | 2 (2%) |
| Transportation not available for substance treatment | 4 (2%) | 3 (3%) | 1 (1%) |
| Other problem | 17 (9%) | 10 (11%) | 7 (6%) |
| Housing | 63% | 72% | 58% |
| Homeless | 127 (63%) | 64 (69%) | 63 (58%) |
| Could not get into shelter | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Banned from shelter | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Asked to leave current housing | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| No identification – required for shelter | 4 (2%) | 3 (3%) | 1 (1%) |
| Does not want to return to current housing | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Other problem | 4 (2%) | 2 (2%) | 2 (2%) |
| Medications | 41% | 40% | 42% |
| Unable to fill prescription | 9 (4%) | 3 (3%) | 6 (6%) |
| Did not go to pharmacy | 38 (18%) | 22 (24%) | 16 (15%) |
| Declined by pharmacy | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Unable to afford prescription medications | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (1%) |
| Lost prescription | 9 (4%) | 3 (3%) | 6 (6%) |
| Unable to tolerate (side effects) medication | 4 (2%) | 1 (1%) | 3 (3%) |
| Refused to take prescription medications | 8 (4%) | 4 (4%) | 4 (4%) |
| Did not understand the need to take medications | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (1%) |
| Forgot to take medication | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Afraid of medication | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| Confused about how to take medication | 2 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (2%) |
| Other problem | 21 (10%) | 5 (5%) | 16 (15%) |
Notes: Random sample of 30-day psychiatric patient readmissions over a 12-month period, September 2015 to August 2016; includes homelessness as well as other concerns such as does not like, or cannot tolerate, current housing, could not get into shelter, banned from shelter, and asked to leave current housing.