One in Four Patients Undergoes Revolving-Door Hospitalizations

About one quarter of all U.S. hospital patients are readmitted over a two-year period for the same conditions that led to their original hospitalization, a new study finds.

These revolving-door figures came from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which analyzed 2006 to 2007 data on 15 million patients in 12 states. Among its findings:

• More than one third of patients with hardening of the arteries were readmitted at least once to the hospital, along with 30% of patients with uncomplicated diabetes, 28% with high blood pressure, and 21% with asthma.

• Among Medicare patients, 42% had multiple hospital admissions and 38% had multiple emergency department visits.

• Among Medicaid patients, 23% experienced multiple hospital admissions and 50% had multiple emergency department visits.

• Rates of hospital readmissions and multiple emergency department visits were 22% and 38%, respectively, for uninsured patients and 19% and 29%, respectively, for privately insured patients.

Although some patients do need to be readmitted, better outpatient care could prevent unnecessary repeat hospital admissions, which in turn can push up healthcare costs, according to the survey.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality