Do You Need to be Readmitted to the Hospital? Know the Signs

According to statistics, the percent of patients readmitted to the hospital in the US within 30 days after being discharged was 14 percent in 2015. Common causes of readmission include pneumonia, heart failure/cardiovascular disease, and COPD/pulmonary disease. 

The warning signs it is time to go back to the hospital are difficulty breathing, chest pains, spiking fever, extreme nausea or vomiting, confusion or disorientation, worsening fatigue or weakness, or severe pain that cannot be relieved. For surgical patients, you should be told what constitutes a normal recovery and the complications to watch out for that may require a return to the hospital. Dr. Catherine MacLean, chief value medical officer at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, says patients should have a pretty low threshold as to when it is time to reach out to healthcare providers regarding problems. 

At discharge, patients are often given new prescriptions to fill, along with other instructions such as hydration, physical therapy and diet recommendations; and patients must be vigilant following these orders. If a person doesn’t respond to these treatments or medications as hoped, they may need to be readmitted to the hospital. 

It should not be surprising that the elderly are among the group more often readmitted to the hospital. Miscommunication regarding discharge orders is another common reason. One example is the person goes into the hospital taking certain medications and goes home with new prescriptions. Problems can occur if the patient takes both the old medications and the new ones when the doctor’s intention was to only take the new meds. This is why it is important to communicate with your team before your discharge and be clear on your care.  

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Source: 

health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/signs-you-should-be-readmitted-to-the-hospital