Characteristics of older adults rehospitalized within 7 and 30 days of discharge: implications for nursing practice.
Rehospitalization within 30 days consumes a significant portion of health care costs; therefore, interventions aimed at reducing the risk of rehospitalization are needed. A retrospective study was conducted examining rehospitalization rates and diagnoses according to discharge location and comparing characteristics of older adults within 7 and 30 days of discharge from a community hospital. Data on rehospitalization for Medicare fee-for-service patients (75 and older) over a 12-month period were obtained from the information technology department of a not-for-profit community hospital. A total of 6,809 patients were discharged, with 12% rehospitalized within 30 days. Skilled nursing facilities had the highest rehospitalization rates (15%), followed by home with home health care (13%) and then home with self-care (8%). The highest rehospitalization rates were in areas where nursing has a strong presence, suggesting that nurses can play an important role in the development of interventions aimed at reducing rehospitalizations.
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. dhain@fau.edu
Debra J
DJ
Hain
Ruth
R
Tappen
Sanya
S
Diaz
Joseph G
JG
Ouslander
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010359:Patient Readmission; D010360:Patient Transfer; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014481:United States