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Is weekend discharge associated with hospital readmission?
J Hosp Med. 2015 Jun 30;
Authors: Cloyd JM, Chen JC, Ma Y, Rhoads KF
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although recent evidence suggests worse outcomes for patients admitted to the hospital on a weekend, the impact of weekend discharge is less understood.
METHODS: Utilizing the 2012 California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database, the impact of weekend discharge on 30-day hospital readmission rates for patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), or pneumonia (PNA) was investigated.
RESULTS: Out of 266,519 patients, 60,097 (22.5%) were discharged on a weekend. Unadjusted 30-day hospital readmission rates were similar between weekend and weekday discharges (AMI: 21.9% vs 21.9%; CHF: 15.4% vs 16.0%; PNA: 12.1% vs 12.4%). Patients discharged on a weekday had a longer length of stay and were more often discharged to a skilled nursing facility. However, in multivariable logistic regression models, weekend discharge was not associated with readmission (AMI: odds ratio [OR] 1.02 [95% CI: 0.98-1.06]; CHF: OR 0.99 [95% CI: 0.94-1.03]; PNA: OR 1.02 (95% CI: 0.98-1.07)).
CONCLUSIONS: Among patients in California with AMI, CHF, and PNA, discharge on a weekend was not associated with an increased hospital readmission rate. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.
PMID: 26130366 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]