The weekend effect in hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis.
Pauls LA, Johnson-Paben R, McGready J, et al. The Weekend Effect in Hospitalized Patients: A Meta-Analysis. J Hosp Med. 2017;12(9):760-766. doi:10.12788/jhm.2815.
The weekend effect refers to worse patient outcomes outside of usual business hours. This meta-analysis of 97 studies found that all-cause mortality is higher for patients hospitalized on the weekend compared to the workweek, even after adjustment for staffing, illness severity, and delays in procedures. A recent PSNet interview discussed the weekend effect in health care.