title: Root Causes and Modifiability of 30-Day Hospital Readmissions after Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radical cystectomy is associated with high complication and rehospitalization rates. An understanding of the root causes of hospital readmissions and the modifiability of factors contributing to readmissions may decrease the morbidity associated with radical cystectomy. We characterize the indications for rehospitalization following radical cystectomy, and determine whether these indications represent immutable patient disease and procedure factors or whether they are modifiable.
  
  
  METHODS
  From MarketScan® databases we identified patients younger than 65 years with a diagnosis of bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy between 2008 and 2011 and were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of radical cystectomy. All associated ICD-9 codes in the index admission, subsequent outpatient claims and readmission claims were independently reviewed by 3 surgeons to determine a root cause of rehospitalization. Causes were broadly categorized as medical, surgical or infectious, and reviewers determined whether the readmission was modifiable. Multivariate logistical regression models were used to identify factors associated with rehospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,163 patients were included in the study and 242 (21%) were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Of these readmissions 26% were considered modifiable (kappa=0.71). Of the nonmodifiable readmissions an infectious cause accounted for 52% and a medical cause accounted for 48%, whereas of the modifiable readmissions 62% were due to surgical causes, 30% to medical and 8% to infectious causes. On multivariate analysis only discharge to a skilled nursing facility was associated with modifiable (OR 6.12, 95% CI 2.32-16.14) or nonmodifiable (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.63-6.53) hospital readmissions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of rehospitalizations after radical cystectomy are attributable its inherent morbidity. However, optimization of aspects of peri-cystectomy care could minimize the morbidity of radical cystectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Kentucky School of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky. Electronic address: aja253@uky.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Izard
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Joshua K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Jonathan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington; Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gore
mesh_terms: D015653:Cystectomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: complications; cystectomy; patient readmission; treatment outcomes; urinary bladder neoplasms