The effects of harm events on 30-day readmission in surgical patients.

This study examined the association of inpatient harms (e.g., infections, medication-related harms) and 30-day readmissions through a retrospective analysis of adult surgical patients in a single heath system over a two year period. The authors found that the harms with the highest 30-day readmission rates were pressure ulcers (45%), central line-associated bloodstream infections (40%), Clostridium difficile infections (29%), international normalized ratio >5 for patients taking Warfarin (26%), and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The authors also described the accuracy of a risk prediction model to identify high-risk patients for 30-day admissions.