title: Pneumonia readmissions: risk factors and implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pneumonia continues to be a severe health problem in the United States, responsible for close to 1 million hospital admissions and nearly 140,000 hospital readmissions per year. The literature on this topic suggests that approximately 1 in 5 patients with pneumonia is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge and that most readmissions are not because of pneumonia-related causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Although many pneumonia readmissions may not be preventable, reducing readmissions is feasible, as shown by recent trends in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Modifiable patient-, physician-, and system-related factors can be targeted for intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many interventions aimed at reducing hospital readmissions targeting transitional care, care coordination, and postdischarge care have shown potential for reducing readmission rates.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine/Hospitalist Program, UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Alba
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine/Hospitalist Program, UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA.
authors.forename: Alpesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
keywords: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; patient readmission; pneumonia