Preventing 30-day hospital readmissions

Leppin, A. L. et al. (2014) Preventing 30-day hospital readmissions. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(7), pp. 1095-1107. (doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.1608)

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.1608

Abstract

Importance </b>Reducing early (<30 days) hospital readmissions is a policy priority aimed at improving health care quality. The cumulative complexity model conceptualizes patient context. It predicts that highly supportive discharge interventions will enhance patient capacity to enact burdensome self-care and avoid readmissions. Objective: To synthesize the evidence of the efficacy of interventions to reduce early hospital readmissions and identify intervention features—including their impact on treatment burden and on patients’ capacity to enact postdischarge self-care—that might explain their varying effects. Data sources:We searched PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, EBSCO CINAHL, and Scopus (1990 until April 1, 2013), contacted experts, and reviewed bibliographies. Study selection: Randomized trials that assessed the effect of interventions on all-cause or unplanned readmissions within 30 days of discharge in adult patients hospitalized for a medical or surgical cause for more than 24 hours and discharged to home. Data extraction and synthesis: Reviewer pairs extracted trial characteristics and used an activity-based coding strategy to characterize the interventions; fidelity was confirmed with authors. Blinded to trial outcomes, reviewers noted the extent to which interventions placed additional work on patients after discharge or supported their capacity for self-care in accordance with the cumulative complexity model. Main outcomes and measures </b>Relative risk of all-cause or unplanned readmission with or without out-of-hospital deaths at 30 days postdischarge. <b>Results </b>In 42 trials, the tested interventions prevented early readmissions (pooled random-effects relative risk, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.73-0.91]; P < .001; I2 = 31%), a finding that was consistent across patient subgroups. Trials published before 2002 reported interventions that were 1.6 times more effective than those tested later (interaction P = .01). In exploratory subgroup analyses, interventions with many components (interaction P = .001), involving more individuals in care delivery (interaction P = .05), and supporting patient capacity for self-care (interaction P = .04) were 1.4, 1.3, and 1.3 times more effective than other interventions, respectively. A post hoc regression model showed incremental value in providing comprehensive, postdischarge support to patients and caregivers.<p></p> <b>Conclusions and relevance </b>Tested interventions are effective at reducing readmissions, but more effective interventions are complex and support patient capacity for self-care. Interventions tested more recently are less effective.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Gallacher, Dr Katie and Mair, Professor Frances
Authors: Leppin, A. L., Gionfriddo, M. R., Kessler, M., Brito, J. P., Mair, F. S., Gallacher, K., Wang, Z., Erwin, P. J., Sylvester, T., Boehmer, K., Ting, H. H., Murad, M. H., Shippee, N. D., and Montori, V. M.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > General Practice and Primary Care
Journal Name:JAMA Internal Medicine
Publisher:American Medical Association
ISSN:2168-6106
ISSN (Online):2168-6114

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