NEWS

Annual Report on Hospital Readmissions in Mass. Looks at Trends Among Older Adults Patients

Dec 18, 2019

Although hospital readmission rates decreased overall in recent years for patients age 65 and older, both the volume and rate of readmissions increase with older patient age groups. For example, patients aged 85 and over had the highest readmission rate in 2018 (17.2%), followed by patients aged 75-84 (17.1%).

This is among a list of findings in the Massachusetts Hospital-Wide Adult All-Payer Readmissions SFY 2011-2018 report produced by the state’s Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA). The report provides a statewide look at readmissions from Massachusetts acute care hospitals, enabling insights into statewide, regional, and hospital-specific readmission rates, including breakdowns by payer type, discharge setting, and hospital characteristics.

According to the report, patients aged 65 and over accounted for almost 60% of all readmissions in the state.

This data, among other issues, support a trend by hospitals to become Age-Friendly Health Systems, which can partner with age- and dementia friendly community initiatives. Springfield, Mass. recently became the first community in the country to make an Age- and Dementia Friendly Community commitment alongside an Age-Friendly Health System recognition.