Post-discharge fall-related injury is a leading readmission diagnosis for seniors, a new study finds.
Investigators reached this conclusion after comparing the prevalence and ranking of fall-related injuries for 30-day unplanned readmissions among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older.
Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor and colleagues discovered that 14.4% percent of index admissions resulted in readmission; readmission rates were 12.9% and 16.0% for those with a previous fall and with cognitive impairment, respectively. Overall, FRI was ranked as the third-leading readmission diagnosis and accounted for 5.1% of all readmission diagnoses.
While hospitals have financial incentives to reduce both inpatient falls and hospital readmissions, relatively little is known about whether fall-related injuries are common diagnoses for 30-day hospital readmissions, Hoffman noted.
“Adequately addressing heightened post-discharge fall among functionally and cognitively impaired older adults will likely require increased attention to the risks and benefits of enhanced activity and rehabilitation strategies within and across care settings,” he added.
Full findings appear in JAMA Network Open.
