Table 2.

Communication Category and Readmission Rates, One Communication Attempt

	%	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
(1) Category D communication	11.2	0.048*	0.055**	0.058**	0.055**	0.056*	0.062*
		(0.028)	(0.028)	(0.028)	(0.028)	(0.031)	(0.033)
(2) Category C communication	25.4						0.030
							(0.024)
(3) Category B communication	22.4						−0.013
							(0.026)
N		2,680	2,680	2,680	2,680	2,680	2,680
Patient characteristics		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nurse characteristics		No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Physician characteristics		No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hospital indicators		No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

The 30‐day readmission rate for this sample is 22.4%. “D”: nurse unable to reach the physician, physician office staff, or to leave a message (communication failure). “C”: nurse left a message, paged the physician, or sent a fax. “B”: nurse communicated with the physician's office staff, but not with the physician. “A”: nurse communicated directly or indirectly with the patient's physician.

**Significant at the 5 percent level. *Significant at the 10 percent level.