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Demographics, Cancer Type Not Linked to Readmissions

News  |  By HealthLeaders Media News  
   September 23, 2016

Patients who were co-managed by hospitalists had higher return rate when discharged to home care and assisted living settings.

Differences in demographics, cancer types, and hospital interventions had no impact on readmission rates for cancer patients who were co-managed by specialists and hospitalists, according to a new study.

However, the researchers did find a correlation between post-acute care setting and readmissions for these patients.

Co-managed patients who were discharged to hospice or a skilled nursing facility were less likely to be readmitted than those who were discharged to home or assisted living and those who had undergone surgery, according to the study, which was published in The American Journal of Medical Quality.

For the study, researchers from Mayo Clinic and Duke University reviewed 322 patient charts. They found that 74 patients, or 23%, were readmitted within 30 days.


Hospital Readmissions are Not the Enemy


In past studies, different methodologies looking at readmission for cancer patient have had varying results, the researchers noted. Two recent studies found rates of 22.6% and 11%.

Although not a direct comparison, the new study corroborates previous research that showed unplanned readmissions for cancer patients are significantly higher in those who were living alone or had difficulty finding caregivers.

The authors called for more research into readmission risk factors for cancer patients to guide targeted interventions to decrease readmissions and improve cancer patient care.


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