A survey of hospital readmission in elderly patients

CF Ko, TKK Yu, TPS Ko
Department of Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

This survey was designed to study the problem of hospital readmission in a geriatric centre in Hong Kong. A retrospective survey of 565 unplanned admissions to a geriatric department showed that the rate of unplanned readmission was 25.3%. Only 56.7% of the selected hospital records could be retrieved for further analysis. Of the unplanned readmissions, 19% were potentially avoidable. The reasons for readmission included medication problems (2.5%), inadequate medical management (16.5%), natural clinical course (32.9%), and new clinical problem (48.1%). A statistical difference was found in the readmission rates for those patients with or without multiple admissions in the previous year (P = 0.001). Those patients who presented with cardiovascular problems were also more likely to be readmitted, although this difference was not statistically significant.

Hong Kong Med J 1996;2:258-62

Key words: Patient readmission; Aged; Geriatrics