Rothwell, Michelle, Jukka, Clare, Lum, Elaine, Mitchell, Charles, and Kyriakides, Peter (2011) Retrospective analysis of emergency readmissions to rural and regional hospitals. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 41 (4). pp. 290-294.

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Abstract

Background: According to the evidence, hospital readmissions within a month of discharge occur in approximately one-third of older patients and that the majority of readmissions are preventable. Missing medication information at discharge was identified as a contributor to hospital readmissions.

Aim: To identify unplanned readmissions within 28 days of hospital discharge attributable to medications; to assess preventability; and in the medication-related readmissions to identify the medication management information supplied to the GP on initial discharge and whether these patients were seen by a pharmacist during the initial stay and readmission.

Method: Records were analysed of patients who had an unplanned readmission within 28 days of discharge, aged 65 years and over, and on 3 or more medications at the time of discharge. A documented method developed for measuring causality, preventability and contribution of medications to the readmission was utilised.

Results: 170 patients from 1 regional and 2 rural hospitals were included in the analysis. 39 (23%) readmissions were medication related and 34 (87%) of these were preventable. Dominant reasons for readmission were inadequate communication/monitoring (41%) and inappropriate/suboptimal pharmacological therapy at discharge (62%).

Conclusion: Gaps in communicating medication management information across the hospital–community interface continue to contribute to avoidable unplanned readmissions.

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