In 2008 nearly 12% of hospital stays were readmissions within 30 days of a previous stay, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
The agency’s analysis, which is based on data from 15 states, also found that 7% of hospital stays were readmissions within 14 days of their previous stay and 4% were readmissions within one week.
For Medicaid patients admitted for reasons other than childbirth, the highest percentage of readmissions occurred in the 45 to 64 age group. The rates of readmission for this group were 8% within 7 days, 14% within 14 days, and nearly 25% within 30 days of their initial stay.
For those ages 18 to 44 years, close to 21% of hospital stays were readmissions within 30 days. Additionally, the agency found that for adult Medicaid patients under age 65, the readmission rates were 50% higher than those of privately insured for any time periods within 30 days of discharge.
About 19% of hospitals stays for Medicare patients 65 and older were readmissions within 30 days, 11% were readmissions within 14 days, and 6.5% were readmissions within 7 days.
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
