Key Points
- To compare the perspectives of general practitioners and hospital staff regarding the primary reasons for unplanned hospital readmissions in older adults.
- Evaluated 124 patients aged 65 years or older experiencing unplanned readmission within 28 days of hospital discharge.
- Surveyed hospital staff and corresponding general practitioners regarding reasons for readmission, comparing responses using McNemar's test.
- The crude 28-day unplanned readmission rate was 13.2%.
- Relapse or complication of the primary illness was the most common agreed-upon reason for readmission between both clinician groups.
- Perceptions differed significantly between hospital staff and general practitioners when readmissions involved poor baseline health or inadequate discharge preparation.
Structured PICO
PPopulation124 patients aged 65 years or over who were readmitted within 28 days of discharge
OOutcomeReasons for unplanned readmission as viewed by hospital staff versus general practitioners
Hospital discharge policies should incorporate general practitioners' perspectives on the causes of unplanned readmissions, as their views often differ from hospital staff regarding discharge preparation.