Nearly One Third of Pediatric Readmissions Preventable

Approximately 30% of 30-day readmissions among pediatric patients were found to be potentially preventable, according to a recent study in Pediatrics.

The study examined 305 patients younger than 18 at a freestanding children’s hospital from December 2012 through February 2013. The children involved in the study had been readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge.

The study found that the potentially preventable readmissions occurred within a shorter time frame than readmissions that were not believed to be potentially preventable. The likelihood that a readmission was potentially preventable were greater when the index admission and readmission were found to be related.

Researchers conducted interviews with the parents or guardians of patients younger than 13, the patients themselves when older than 13, inpatient providers, and primary care providers. Findings revealed that such interviews can often uncover critical information about readmissions.