Prompt follow-up after hospital discharge is associated with decreased likelihood of emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions at 30 days for patients with cancer, according to research published in JCO Oncology Practice.
Transitioning from inpatient to outpatient oncology care is associated with increased rates of mortality and adverse events, according to researchers. To date, the effect of postdischarge medical follow-up during this time period remains poorly understood.
To evaluate its role, researchers evaluated patient records collected between 2018 and 2020 at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. Trends in ED visits and readmissions were assessed on the basis of postdischarge follow-up.
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The patients (n=25,135), with a mean age of 66.4±14.4 years, had been hospitalized for 5.7±6.7 days; 80% were hospitalized for nononcology care, and 51% were discharged without home services.
More than half (58%) of patients had a follow-up appointment within 30 days of discharge. Patients with a 30-day follow-up had lower rates of ED visits (25% vs 33%; P <.001) and readmissions (21% vs 28%; P <.001) at 30 days.
Among patients with a follow-up, 23.8% had a follow-up within the first 14 days. Patients with a follow-up within 14 days had lower rates of ED visits (18% vs 27%; P <.001) and readmissions (8% vs 25%; P <.001) at 30 days.
Similar trends were observed across disease subgroups.
“Safe transitions from hospital to outpatient are essential to prevent gaps in care. Medical oncology admissions with timely postdischarge medical oncology appointment were associated with significantly lower likelihood of experiencing all-cause readmission and ED visits within 30 days,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosures: Some study authors declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of disclosures.
Reference
Xiang J, Chow R, Reynoso A, et al. Association between postdischarge medical oncology follow-up appointments and downstream health care use: a single-institution experience. JCO Oncol Pract. Published online June 13, 2022. doi:10.1200/OP.21.00868
This article originally appeared on Oncology Nurse Advisor
