A new study of children's hospitals found that a small cohort of frequently readmitted patients accounted for nearly one-fifth of all admissions and one-quarter of all inpatient expenditures, according to a release by Children's Hospital Boston.
These patients, accounting for just 2.9 percent of all readmitted patients at 37 surveyed children's hospitals, had been readmitted to the same hospital four or more times in one year, according to the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
While some children with chronic health conditions require frequent necessary readmissions, the analysis of more than 300,000 patients found many of the readmissions might have been avoided with improved inpatient and outpatient care coordination, care planning and community healthcare support.
Read the Children's Hospital Boston release on readmissions.
Read more coverage on preventable readmissions:
- Studies Find Proactive Interventions Reduce Hospital Admissions, Readmissions
- Illinois Blues, Hospital Association Partner to Reduce Readmission Rates
- Preventable Readmissions Cost California $3.5B
These patients, accounting for just 2.9 percent of all readmitted patients at 37 surveyed children's hospitals, had been readmitted to the same hospital four or more times in one year, according to the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
While some children with chronic health conditions require frequent necessary readmissions, the analysis of more than 300,000 patients found many of the readmissions might have been avoided with improved inpatient and outpatient care coordination, care planning and community healthcare support.
Read the Children's Hospital Boston release on readmissions.
Read more coverage on preventable readmissions:
- Studies Find Proactive Interventions Reduce Hospital Admissions, Readmissions
- Illinois Blues, Hospital Association Partner to Reduce Readmission Rates
- Preventable Readmissions Cost California $3.5B