title: Can readmissions to a geriatric medical unit be prevented?
abstract: During the year ending April 2, 1982, 153 patients readmitted to a geriatric medical unit within twelve months of their previous discharge from any hospital in the district accounted for 24.8% of the 617 patients admitted. Readmission of the 153 patients was due to unavoidable clinical deterioration (32%), inadequate medical management (21%), non-compliance of patient (20.2%), social problems (18.3%), or inadequate rehabilitation (8.5%). Readmission could have been prevented in 73 (47.7%) patients. These figures emphasise the importance of greater medical interest in the problems of the aged and support the need for a higher consultant/bed ratio in geriatric medical units to allow more effective management of patients aged 75 years and over.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006300:Health Services Misuse; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012737:Sex Factors; D006113:United Kingdom