News: Sepsis accounts for many of the 30-day unplanned readmissions

Sepsis accounts for a higher rate of unplanned readmissions than acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a recent JAMA study which analyzed the proportion and cost of 30-day readmissions, Revenue Cycle Advisor reported.

CMS uses 30-day readmission rates as a measure of quality of care and pays particular attention to AMI, heart failure, pneumonia, and COPD readmissions because they are frequent and costly.

Researchers analyzed data from the 2013 Nationwide Readmissions Database and identified index readmissions for adults 18 and older who had an unplanned readmission within 30 days of discharge. The JAMA study excluded index admissions for patients who expired, left against medical advice, were transferred, or had a stay that occurred in December (data for 30-day readmissions not available for this month). Researchers also considered the proportion of AMI, heart failure, pneumonia, and COPD cases that may overlap with a sepsis diagnosis.

Sepsis accounted for 12.2% of index readmissions within 30 days, with heart failure trailing at 6.7%, pneumonia at 5.2%, COPD at 4.6%, and AMI at 1.2%. In addition, the average cost of a sepsis readmission was found to be $10,070, compared to $9,533 for pneumonia, $9,424 for AMI, $9,051 for heart failure, and $8,417 for COPD.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Revenue Cycle Advisor on February 14, 2017. To read the original article, click here.