According to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2008 hospital readmissions within 30 days of initial treatment were 30% higher among black patients aged 40 years or above with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), compared to those in Hispanics, Asians and Pacific Islanders and about 9% higher than in whites.
The authors used data from Statistical Brief #121: Readmissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2008, from State Inpatient databases, including Virginia, Louisiana, Utah, Arkansas, California, Tennessee, Florida, Hawaii, , Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, South Carolina, and Washington.
The findings revealed that of all patients readmitted within 30 days, 7% were readmitted mainly for COPD with 21% being readmitted for any health condition (all-cause readmission).
In total, hospitals admitted 190,700 initial COPD patients at an average cost of $7,100. The average readmission cost of $8,400 per stay for patients diagnosed principally for COPD was 18% higher, with all-cause readmissions being 50% more expensive than the initial stay, i.e. $11,100.
Patients from the poorest communities showed 22% higher readmission rates compared with those from the highest income areas.
Results also showed that male patients had a 13% higher readmission rate compared with females.
Written by Petra Rattue