title: Is weekend discharge associated with hospital readmission?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although recent evidence suggests worse outcomes for patients admitted to the hospital on a weekend, the impact of weekend discharge is less understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Utilizing the 2012 California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database, the impact of weekend discharge on 30-day hospital readmission rates for patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), or pneumonia (PNA) was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 266,519 patients, 60,097 (22.5%) were discharged on a weekend. Unadjusted 30-day hospital readmission rates were similar between weekend and weekday discharges (AMI: 21.9% vs 21.9%; CHF: 15.4% vs 16.0%; PNA: 12.1% vs 12.4%). Patients discharged on a weekday had a longer length of stay and were more often discharged to a skilled nursing facility. However, in multivariable logistic regression models, weekend discharge was not associated with readmission (AMI: odds ratio [OR] 1.02 [95% CI: 0.98-1.06]; CHF: OR 0.99 [95% CI: 0.94-1.03]; PNA: OR 1.02 (95% CI: 0.98-1.07)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients in California with AMI, CHF, and PNA, discharge on a weekend was not associated with an increased hospital readmission rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Jordan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cloyd
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Joy C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Yifei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Kim F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Rhoads
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011014:Pneumonia; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors