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Hospital Readmissions in Pneumonia Patients: Quality of Care and Cost Containment

  • Shared Practice and Economic Issues (A. Amin, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Pneumonia is a significant health problem in the United States severely impacting morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, pneumonia is responsible for over 100,000 readmissions every year. Recent efforts to curve the pneumonia readmission rates include increased hospital’s accountability and Medicare & Medicaid reimbursement penalties for excess readmission rates.

Recent Findings

Multiple factors associated with pneumonia readmissions are not modifiable or amenable to intervention.  Yet, recent data suggest that improving pneumonia readmission rates is feasible.  Factors such as adherence to evidence-based pneumonia guidelines, preventing premature discharge, and assuring stability of comorbidities may be linked to 30-day readmissions.    Interventions aimed at improving physician adherence to evidence-based pneumonia guidelines may further impact pneumonia readmission rates.

Summary

Decreasing pneumonia readmission rates is feasible but requires a comprehensive approach addressing multiple factors linked with hospital readmissions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospitalist Program, University of California, Irvine, USA

    Israel De Alba

  2. Department of Medicine, Hospitalist Program, University of California, Irvine, USA

    Alpesh Amin

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  1. Israel De Alba
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Correspondence to Israel De Alba.

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Drs. De Alba and Amin declare no conflicts of interests.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the author.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Shared Practice and Economic Issues.

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De Alba, I., Amin, A. Hospital Readmissions in Pneumonia Patients: Quality of Care and Cost Containment. Curr Emerg Hosp Med Rep 4, 172–176 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-016-0111-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-016-0111-4

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