The SCAN Foundation

Keeping people from going back to the hospital is better for their physical and mental health and their ability to keep living at home. Repeated readmissions will weaken them so they will need long-term services and supports, often in a nursing home, according to a spring 2010 report, “Readmissions to California Hospitals, 2005 to 2006,” by the state of California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

The report shows significant differences in readmission rates among hospitals. Readmissions are an expensive burden on the health care system. “These readmissions accounted for half of the amount of money charged to Medicare and Medicaid (in California, the Medi-Cal program) and a third of charges to private insurance,” the report said. “Overall, about one-third of California hospital patients were readmitted at least once within a year.” The California report draws attention to a national problem. “About one-fifth of U.S. Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, at an additional cost of $17.4 billion for unplanned admissions,” the report said. “There is growing interest in readmissions because recent research shows that hospitals can reduce the number of readmissions with better quality of care and better coordination of care both before and after patient discharge.” In response to the report, California Healthline, operated by the California HealthCare Foundation, conducted a June 15, 2010 conference of state officials and other experts to discuss the issue.