Readmissions among patients with COVID‐19

Abstract

Background Hospital readmissions are associated with poor patient outcomes and increased health resource utilisation. The need to study readmission patterns is even bigger during a pandemic because the burden is further stretching the healthcare system. Methods We reviewed the initial hospitalisation and subsequent readmission for 19 patients with confirmed COVID‐19 in the largest statewide hospital network in Rhode Island, US, from March 1st through April 19th, 2020. We also compared the characteristics and clinical outcomes between readmitted and non‐readmitted patients. Results Of the 339 hospitalised patients with COVID‐19, 279 discharged alive. Among them, 19/279 were readmitted (6.8%) after a median of 5 days. There was a significantly higher rate of hypertension, diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease, liver disease, cancer and substance abuse among the readmitted compared with non‐readmitted patients. The most common reasons of readmissions happening within 12 days from discharge included respiratory distress and thrombotic episodes, while those happening at a later time included psychiatric illness exacerbations and falls. The length of stay during readmission was longer than during index admission and more demanding on healthcare resources. Conclusion Among hospitalised patients with COVID‐19, those readmitted had a higher burden of comorbidities than the non‐readmitted. Within the first 12 days from discharge, readmission reasons were more likely to be associated with COVID‐19, while those happening later were related to other reasons. Readmissions characterisation may help in defining optimal timing for patient discharge and ensuring safe care transition.

General practice attendances among patients attending a post-COVID-19 clinic: a pilot study

“…The findings also provide support for claims that older adults (3) and individuals with pre-existing health conditions (9-13) are more likely to experience ongoing COVID-19 complications requiring follow-up. Moreover, it was notable that this study's GP attendees had higher readmission rates than those observed among the general population in previous studies (24,25).…”

“…In Ireland, ICU rates are estimated between 1-2% (5), while a systematic review of international literature calculated a pooled ICU rate = 15.4%, with 14.9% (23). Research also suggests that COVID-GP ATTENDANCE POST COVID-19 4 19 hospital re-admission rates are low (24), with COVID-19 re-admissions most likely to occur among immunocompromised and co-morbid populations (24,25). Early, rather than later readmissions, are more associated with COVID-19 related illness, as opposed to illness arising from pre-existing health conditions (25).…”

Discharge characteristics and care transitions of hospitalized patients with COVID-19

“… 3 , 4 , 5 The readmission rate of 5.2% observed in our study is within the range of other reports. 3 , 13 , 14 , 15 …”

Thirty-Day Post-Discharge Outcomes Following COVID-19 Infection

“…Yet, few studies to date have focused on posthospitalization outcomes in COVID-19; and among these studies, only post-hospitalization outcomes obtained by electronic medical record system abstraction have been captured, raising concern for underestimation of adverse outcomes. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Therefore, the actual incidence of COVID-associated post-discharge return to the emergency room, re-hospitalization, and mortality remains unknown.…”