Hospital readmissions - are they predictable and avoidable?

In the context of limited resources in the healthcare system, factors that can be used as indicators for the effective use of diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients are of interest. The rate of hospital readmission (RA) is a potentially important parameter of quality in hospital care. In the present preliminary study, our aim was to measure the rate of readmissions, and to qualify the readmissions as avoidable or not. PRINCIPLES/METHODS: We performed this pilot study at the Department of Internal Medicine (DIM) of the Kantonsspital Winterthur (KSW). Between March 1st. and May 31st 1998 all patients admitted to our hospital were included in the study. Each patient was followed up for a period of 90 days after discharge. RA was classified as planned, unplanned, avoidable or unavoidable. Only the first RA of a patient was investigated. RAs were divided into those occurring within 30 and those occurring within 90 days of discharge.