Comparison of inpatients who were readmitted within 28 days of discharge with those not readmitted: an audit at an Australian private psychiatric hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To compare inpatients who had been readmitted within 28 days of discharge with patients not readmitted within the same period in a private psychiatric hospital. METHOD: Of 118 readmissions within 28 days in 2017 (7% of admissions), 50 were randomly selected and matched by age and gender with control patients who had not been readmitted within 28 days. Differences in demographics, diagnosis, length of stay and number of admissions in the previous 12 months were examined. RESULTS: Readmitted cases were 64% female, were aged 49.8 ± 18.2 years (range 19-89), 40% were in relationships and 24% were receiving disability support. Most patients were suffering an episode of depression. Cases had higher rates of multiple psychiatric diagnoses (p < .001) and physical disorders (p < .05). There were no significant differences between cases and controls on psychiatric diagnoses. Cases had a longer length of stay in their previous admission (p < .01) and a higher number of admissions in the preceding 12 months (p < .05) compared to controls. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that inpatients readmitted within 28 days of discharge were more likely to have multiple diagnoses, physical co-morbidity and relapsing conditions than patients who were not readmitted.

Characteristics, diagnoses and risk profiles of inpatients readmitted within 28 days of discharge to an Australian private psychiatric hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to perform a clinical and risk audit of private hospital inpatients who had been readmitted within 28 days of a preceding admission. METHOD: Of 118 readmissions within 28 days in 2017 (7% of all admissions), 50 were randomly selected for audit. Characteristics, illness severity and clinical risk profiles were ascertained at discharge from the index admission and at readmission. RESULTS: Cases were 64% female, age 49.9 ± 18.2 years (range 19-89), 40% in relationships and 24% on disability support. At readmission, 88% posed danger to self due to effects of illness, 46% had high suicide risk and 40% had high physical risk. Illness was rated as severe in 58%, while 40% were rated markedly ill. Relapse or exacerbation of major depression was a cause of readmission in 78%, relapse of alcohol/substance use requiring readmission in 22% and relapse of psychosis in 20%. Index admission length of stay of cases did not differ from that of all hospital admissions. CONCLUSION: Most readmitted patients were suffering severe exacerbation of depression, were acutely suicidal and were otherwise at high risk of harm. If these patients had been denied readmission on the basis of insurer funding disincentives, catastrophic outcomes may well have occurred.

Characteristics, diagnoses, illness course and risk profiles of inpatients admitted for at least 21 days to an Australian private psychiatric hospital.

OBJECTIVES:: To perform a clinical and risk audit of private hospital inpatients staying in hospital at least 21 days. METHODS:: Of 492 admissions for ≥21 days in 2016, 40 were randomly selected for audit. Characteristics, illness severity and course using the Clinical Global Impression severity (CGI-S) subscale and improvement (CGI-I) subscale, and clinical risk profiles were ascertained at admission, day 15 and discharge by two psychiatrists. RESULTS:: The cases were 65% female, age 50.0±16.2 years (range 24-86), 43% in relationships, and 28% on disability support. The length of stay was 29±7 days. On admission 88% were severely or markedly ill on the CGI-S subscale. Thirty-nine of 40 cases had ≥3 psychiatric diagnoses: 93% depression, 48% bipolar, 15% schizophrenia. High risk was present in suicide risk (48%), illness-induced dysfunction risk (78%) and physical risk (28%). By day 15, 63% were not improved or marginally worse. Suicide ratings were unimproved. By the time of discharge, illness severity and risk ratings were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION:: Private hospital inpatients staying ≥21 days were predominantly female and had severe, diagnostically complex illnesses and high risk ratings. Most were still seriously unwell after 15 days. Patients improved significantly by the time of discharge (though were by no means recovered), indicating that the duration of hospitalisation was appropriate.