RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) are responsible for a disproportionate number of hospital readmissions. This study sought to determine 30-day hospital readmission rates in children with CCC discharged from a rehabilitation and transitional care hospital and to identify factors associated with increased risk of readmission. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study identifying children with CCC discharged over an 18-month period from a subacute care facility staffed by hospitalists from a freestanding children's hospital. The primary outcome measure was readmission to the referring acute care hospital within 30 days of the subacute discharge. RESULTS: Of the 272 discharged patients meeting inclusion criteria as children with at least 1 CCC, 19% had at least 1 readmission within 30 days of discharge. On univariate analysis, readmission was associated with the number of home medications (P = .001), underlying chronic respiratory illness (P < .001), home apnea or pulse oximetry monitor use (P = .02), tracheostomy and/or ventilator dependence (P = .003), length of stay (P = .04), and number of follow-up appointments (P = .02). On multivariate analysis, the number of discharge medications was associated with increased odds of readmission (odds ratio: 1.11 [95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.20]; P = .01). Receiver operating curve analysis identified a cutoff of 8 medications as most associated with readmission; in patients discharged with ≥8 medications, the hospital readmission rate was 29%. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first known study that investigated hospital readmission rates in children with CCC discharged from a subacute facility and specifically identified the number of discharge medications as a significant risk factor for readmission.