Identifying older adults at increased risk of medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge: development and validation of a risk assessment tool

OBJECTIVE: Developing and validating a risk assessment tool aiming to identify older adults (≥65 years) at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: The risk score was developed using data from a hospital in southern Sweden and validated using data from four hospitals in the mid-eastern part of Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: The development cohort (n=720) was admitted to hospital during 2017, whereas the validation cohort (n=892) was admitted during 2017-2018. MEASURES: The risk assessment tool aims to predict possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge. Variables known at first admission and individually associated with possibly medication-related readmission were used in development. The included variables were assigned points, and Youden's index was used to decide a threshold score. The risk score was calculated for all individuals in both cohorts. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (c-index) was used to measure the discrimination of the developed risk score. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were calculated using cross-tabulation. RESULTS: The developed risk assessment tool, the Hospitalisations, Own home, Medications, and Emergency admission (HOME) Score, had a c-index of 0.69 in the development cohort and 0.65 in the validation cohort. It showed sensitivity 76%, specificity 54%, positive predictive value 29% and negative predictive value 90% at the threshold score in the development cohort. CONCLUSION: The HOME Score can be used to identify older adults at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission within 30 days of discharge. The tool is easy to use and includes variables available in electronic health records at admission, thus making it possible to implement risk-reducing activities during the hospital stay as well as at discharge and in transitions of care. Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical usefulness of the HOME Score as well as the benefits of implemented activities

Analys av identifikationsstörningar hos ett ungdomsvårdsskoleklientel genom studium av varseblivningsutvecklingen

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Medication-related hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge : A retrospective study of risk factors in older adults

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that approximately 20% of hospital readmissions can be medication-related and 70% of these readmissions are possibly preventable. This retrospective medical records study aimed to find risk factors associated with medication-related readmissions to hospital within 30 days of discharge in older adults (≥65 years).METHODS: 30-day readmissions (n = 360) were assessed as being either possibly or unlikely medication-related after which selected variables were used to individually compare the two groups to a comparison group (n = 360). The aim was to find individual risk factors of possibly medication-related readmissions focusing on living arrangements, polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medication therapy, and changes made to medication regimens at initial discharge.RESULTS: A total of 143 of the 360 readmissions (40%) were assessed as being possibly medication-related. Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.5-1.25), excessive polypharmacy (OR 1.74, 95%CI 1.07-2.81), having adjustments made to medication dosages at initial discharge (OR 1.63, 95%CI 1.03-2.58) and living in your own home, alone, were variables identified as risk factors of such readmissions. Living in your own home, alone, increased the odds of a possibly medication-related readmission 1.69 times compared to living in your own home with someone (p-value 0.025) and 2.22 times compared to living in a nursing home (p-value 0.037).CONCLUSION: Possibly medication-related readmissions within 30 days of discharge, in patients 65 years and older, are common. The odds of such readmissions increase in comorbid, highly medicated patients living in their own home, alone, and if having medication dosages adjusted at initial discharge. These results indicate that care planning before discharge and the provision of help with, for example, managing medications after discharge, are factors especially important if aiming to reduce the amount of medication-related readmissions among this population. Further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis

Risk factors for hospital readmission in older adults within 30 days of discharge - a comparative retrospective study

BACKGROUND: The area of hospital readmission in older adults within 30 days of discharge is extensively researched but few studies look at the whole process. In this study we investigated risk factors related, not only to patient characteristics prior to and events during initial hospitalisation, but also to the processes of discharge, transition of care and follow-up. We aimed to identify patients at most risk of being readmitted as well as processes in greatest need of improvement, the goal being to find tools to help reduce early readmissions in this population.METHODS: This comparative retrospective study included 720 patients in total. Medical records were reviewed and variables concerning patient characteristics prior to and events during initial hospital stay, as well as those related to the processes of discharge, transition of care and follow-up, were collected in a standardised manner. Either a Student's t-test, χ2-test or Fishers' exact test was used for comparisons between groups. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify variables associated with readmission.RESULTS: The final model showed increased odds of readmission in patients with a higher Charlson Co-morbidity Index (OR 1.12, p-value 0.002), excessive polypharmacy (OR 1.66, p-value 0.007) and living in the community with home care (OR 1.61, p-value 0.025). The odds of being readmitted within 30 days increased if the length of stay was 5 days or longer (OR 1.72, p-value 0.005) as well as if being discharged on a Friday (OR 1.88, p-value 0.003) or from a surgical unit (OR 2.09, p-value 0.001).CONCLUSION: Patients of poor health, using 10 medications or more regularly and living in the community with home care, are at greater risk of being readmitted to hospital within 30 days of discharge. Readmissions occur more often after being discharged on a Friday or from a surgical unit. Our findings indicate patients at most risk of being readmitted as well as discharging routines in most need of improvement thus laying the ground for further studies as well as targeted actions to take in order to reduce hospital readmissions within 30 days in this population

Medication-related hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge : a retrospective study of risk factors in older adults

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that approximately 20% of hospital readmissions can be medication-related and 70% of these readmissions are possibly preventable. This retrospective medical records study aimed to find risk factors associated with medication-related readmissions to hospital within 30 days of discharge in older adults (≥65 years). METHODS: 30-day readmissions (n = 360) were assessed as being either possibly or unlikely medication-related after which selected variables were used to individually compare the two groups to a comparison group (n = 360). The aim was to find individual risk factors of possibly medication-related readmissions focusing on living arrangements, polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medication therapy, and changes made to medication regimens at initial discharge. RESULTS: A total of 143 of the 360 readmissions (40%) were assessed as being possibly medication-related. Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.5–1.25), excessive polypharmacy (OR 1.74, 95%CI 1.07–2.81), having adjustments made to medication dosages at initial discharge (OR 1.63, 95%CI 1.03–2.58) and living in your own home, alone, were variables identified as risk factors of such readmissions. Living in your own home, alone, increased the odds of a possibly medication-related readmission 1.69 times compared to living in your own home with someone (p-value 0.025) and 2.22 times compared to living in a nursing home (p-value 0.037). CONCLUSION: Possibly medication-related readmissions within 30 days of discharge, in patients 65 years and older, are common. The odds of such readmissions increase in comorbid, highly medicated patients living in their own home, alone, and if having medication dosages adjusted at initial discharge. These results indicate that care planning before discharge and the provision of help with, for example, managing medications after discharge, are factors especially important if aiming to reduce the amount of medication-related readmissions among this population. Further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis

Bleeding complications after central line insertions: relevance of pre-procedure coagulation tests and institutional transfusion policy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to map pre-procedural variables for insertion of a central venous catheter, prophylactic blood component use and to investigate whether any independent variable could be identified as an independent risk factor for associated bleeding complications in patients outside the intensive care unit. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we investigated 1737 consecutive insertions of central venous catheters in 1444 patients in a large university hospital during 2009-2010. Pre-procedural coagulation status, blood component use, type of catheter, insertion site and complications during insertion were recorded and compared with bleeding complications documented on electronic charts. RESULTS: No serious bleeding complications were recorded in connection with the insertion of central venous catheters. Sixteen of 1769 (0.9%) insertions caused grade 2 bleeding, defined as bleeding requiring prolonged compression at the insertion site. Insertion of a large bore central dialysis catheter was found to be an independent risk factor for bleeding complications. Neither conventional coagulation tests nor accidental arterial puncture or the number of needle passes could predict bleeding complications in this study. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study, in non-ICU patients, shows that serious bleeding complications in association with central line insertions are uncommon and that insertion of a large bore catheter is likely to be an independent risk factor for mild-bleeding complications in this population

Identifying older adults at increased risk of medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge : development and validation of a risk assessment tool

Objective: Developing and validating a risk assessment tool aiming to identify older adults (& GE;65 years) at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge. Design: Retrospective cohort study. SettingThe risk score was developed using data from a hospital in southern Sweden and validated using data from four hospitals in the mid-eastern part of Sweden. Participants: The development cohort (n=720) was admitted to hospital during 2017, whereas the validation cohort (n=892) was admitted during 2017-2018. Measures: The risk assessment tool aims to predict possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge. Variables known at first admission and individually associated with possibly medication-related readmission were used in development. The included variables were assigned points, and Youden's index was used to decide a threshold score. The risk score was calculated for all individuals in both cohorts. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (c-index) was used to measure the discrimination of the developed risk score. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were calculated using cross-tabulation. Results: The developed risk assessment tool, the Hospitalisations, Own home, Medications, and Emergency admission (HOME) Score, had a c-index of 0.69 in the development cohort and 0.65 in the validation cohort. It showed sensitivity 76%, specificity 54%, positive predictive value 29% and negative predictive value 90% at the threshold score in the development cohort. Conclusion: The HOME Score can be used to identify older adults at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission within 30 days of discharge. The tool is easy to use and includes variables available in electronic health records at admission, thus making it possible to implement risk-reducing activities during the hospital stay as well as at discharge and in transitions of care. Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical usefulness of the HOME Score as well as the benefits of implemented activities

Identifying older adults at increased risk of medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge: development and validation of a risk assessment tool

Objective Developing and validating a risk assessment tool aiming to identify older adults (≥65 years) at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge.Design Retrospective cohort study.Setting The risk score was developed using data from a hospital in southern Sweden and validated using data from four hospitals in the mid-eastern part of Sweden.Participants The development cohort (n=720) was admitted to hospital during 2017, whereas the validation cohort (n=892) was admitted during 2017–2018.Measures The risk assessment tool aims to predict possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge. Variables known at first admission and individually associated with possibly medication-related readmission were used in development. The included variables were assigned points, and Youden’s index was used to decide a threshold score. The risk score was calculated for all individuals in both cohorts. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (c-index) was used to measure the discrimination of the developed risk score. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were calculated using cross-tabulation.Results The developed risk assessment tool, the Hospitalisations, Own home, Medications, and Emergency admission (HOME) Score, had a c-index of 0.69 in the development cohort and 0.65 in the validation cohort. It showed sensitivity 76%, specificity 54%, positive predictive value 29% and negative predictive value 90% at the threshold score in the development cohort.Conclusion The HOME Score can be used to identify older adults at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission within 30 days of discharge. The tool is easy to use and includes variables available in electronic health records at admission, thus making it possible to implement risk-reducing activities during the hospital stay as well as at discharge and in transitions of care. Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical usefulness of the HOME Score as well as the benefits of implemented activities