Can home visits help reduce hospital readmissions? Randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
This paper is a report of a study to determine whether home visits can reduce hospital readmissions. Background. The phenomenon of hospital readmission raises concerns about the quality of care and appropriate use of resources. Home visits after hospital discharge have been introduced to help reduce hospital readmission rates, but the results have not been conclusive.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial was carried out from 2003 to 2005 . The control group (n = 166) received routine care and the study group (n = 166) received home visits from community nurses within 30 days of hospital discharge. Data were collected at baseline before discharge and 30 days after discharge.


RESULTS
Patients in the study group were statistically significantly more satisfied with their care. There were no statistically significant differences in other outcomes, including readmission rate, ADL score, self-perceived life satisfaction and self-perceived health. Regression analysis revealed that self-perceived life satisfaction, self-perceived health and disease category other than general symptoms were three statistically significant variables predicting hospital readmissions.


CONCLUSIONS
Preventive home visits were not effective in reducing hospital readmissions, but satisfaction with care was enhanced. Subjective well-being is a key variable that warrants attention in the planning and evaluation of postdischarge home care.
Wong
Frances Kam Yuet
FK
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. hsfwong@inet.polyu.edu.hk
Chow
Susan
S
Chung
Loretta
L
Chang
Katherine
K
Chan
Tony
T
Lee
Wai-Man
WM
Lee
Rance
R
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012720:Severity of Illness Index