[Short stay medical unit. Causes of readmissions]

Abstract

Introduction: Hospital readmissions reflect the quality of the Sanitary Attention given.

Aim: To identify the factors that predict readmission in patients who are admitted to a Short Stay Medical Unit.

Material and methods: Prospective cohort study. Readmission was defined by an urgent admission after discharge caused by the same main diagnosis. The predicting factors for readmission were calculated by means of log regression.

Results: 335 patients were included. Readmission rates at 10, 28 and 90 days was 2.1, 8.4 and 17.0%, respectively. The independent factor of readmission at 10 days was the previous hospitalizations; at 28 days were previous hospitalizations, the length of stay and the educational status; at 90 days were comorbidities and the health related quality of life.

Conclusions: The factors predicting early hospital readmissions were the previous admissions and the length of stay of index admission, while late readmission was related to comorbidities and health related quality of life.