News

Busy hospitals discharge patients too soon, see higher readmissions

Patients that are discharged during the busiest times for hospitals
are 50 percent more likely to come back in within three days,
according to research published in Health Care Management Science. Two
new studies from the University of Maryland suggest that that revenue
from surgery is driving patients going home too early.

They looked at occupancy rates, day of the week, staffing levels and
surgical volume at the large, academic medical center and concluded
that readmissions come from poor planning.

"Too often, the biggest problem is that hospitals just don't plan
ahead, and this is what gets them in trouble," Bruce Golden, a
university professor, said in a Friday statement. "There are
logistical alternatives to sending a patient home too soon."

Study authors did note that the problem was more likely to happen at
large hospitals not only because they have resources to provide
advanced surgeries, but patients traveling to the facilities also may
put pressure on the hospital to avoid delays.

Study authors recommended hospitals use checklists before discharge to
avoid infections, for example. Golden also suggested moving patients
to units with empty beds rather than sending patients home
prematurely. Although doing so might up costs initially, Golden said
it will save the hospital in the long-term.