The association between readmission rates and length of stay for schizophrenia: a 3-year population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
A nationwide population-based dataset was used to explore the association between length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission rates for hospitalized patients with schizophrenia in Taiwan.


METHODS
The National Health Insurance Research Database was used for the years 2001-2003 and included a total of 29,373 patients with schizophrenia divided equally into four groups according to LOS of index hospitalization. After adjusting for hospital, physician and patient characteristics, a multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between LOS and 30-day readmission rates.


RESULTS
After discharge from their index hospitalization, 12,468 (42.5%) patients with schizophrenia were readmitted within 30 days. The adjusted odds ratio for 30-day readmission rates was increased for shorter LOS.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare providers should exert caution while trying to reduce LOS within the current cost-conscious environment and balance it with creating a minimal status necessary for discharge.
Lin
Herng-Ching
HC
Taipei Medical University, School of Health Care Administration, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tian
Wei-Hua
WH
Chen
Chin-Shyan
CS
Liu
Tsai-Ching
TC
Tsai
Shang-Ying
SY
Lee
Hsin-Chien
HC
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index