Community follow-up within day of discharge cuts ED readmissions – study

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By Olivia Bowthorpe

Patients who are supported by community health services within a day of leaving hospital are significantly less likely to return, according to a study of NHS patients in England.

A check-up taking place within 24 hours of discharge was linked to 33% lower odds of attending an emergency department, and 38% lower odds of being readmitted to hospital within 30 days, compared with patients who had no contact over the following month.

Data was sourced from the Community Services Dataset on 63,019 individuals referred to 11 NHS community trust providers following hospital discharge in 2019.

"Unplanned readmissions place significant strain on already stretched hospital resources and are distressing and disruptive events for patients," wrote Dr Beth Parkinson, research fellow in the division of population health at the University of Manchester, and colleagues.

"Timely contact with community health service teams following discharge was associated with substantially lower odds of subsequent emergency hospital use.