An Extra Doctor Visit May Help Prevent Rehospitalization of Dialysis Patients

An additional provider visit in the month following hospital discharge was estimated to reduce the probability of 30-day hospital readmission by 3.5% in a study of 26,613 patients who were on dialysis in the US between 2004 and 2009. The reduction in such readmission ranged from 0.5% to 4.9% in an additional 4 groups of patients, depending on population density around facilities, facility profit status, and patient Medicaid eligibility. At current Medicare reimbursement rates, seeing patients 1 additional time in the month following discharge could lead to 31,370 fewer hospitalizations per year and $240 million per year saved, according to the JASNstudy.