Rapid (7-Day) Readmissions to an Inpatient Medical Service at a Tertiary, Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND

Rapid readmissions, occurring within 7 days of hospital discharge, are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Objectives: Identify causes of rapid readmissions with a focus on clinical judgement errors and improve discharge practices.

METHODS

Records of 371 patients discharged from an inpatient medical service and readmitted within 7 days were reviewed. Causes for readmission were identified and classified into 10 categories, including diagnostic and/or therapeutic error leading to readmission.

RESULTS

Fifty percent of rapid readmissions were related to severity of underlying disease/failure to respond to treatment. Adherence challenges, patients with known high hospital utilization, and substance use disorder/uncontrolled psychiatric conditions accounted for 32.4% of 7-day readmissions. Readmissions related to clinical judgement accounted for 24 (6.5%) of the total readmissions. Clinical judgement errors were comprised of 6 diagnostic and 18 therapeutic errors, involving infections, diabetic medications and anticoagulation agents.

CONCLUSIONS

Most rapid readmissions are related to the severity of the condition during the index hospitalization. Clinical judgement errors are a rare cause for rapid readmission and involve certain high-risk medications and symptoms which require a high degree of awareness from the discharging provider.