Association between weekend discharge and readmission

Editor's Note

Weekend discharge after major surgical procedures is not associated with higher readmission rates, this study finds.

Readmission rates were similar for those discharged on a weekend vs weekday after AAA repair (8.8% vs 9.3%) and pancreatectomy (17.5% vs 15.9%). Weekend discharge was associated with a lower 30-day readmission rate for patients undergoing colectomy (12.1% vs 14.1%) and hip replacement (6.9% vs 7.7%).

Overall, patients discharged on a weekend had shorter length of stays and were less often discharged to a skilled nursing facility.

Importance Although evidence suggests worse outcomes for patients admitted to the hospital on a weekend, to our knowledge, no previous studies have investigated the effects of weekend discharge. Objective To determine whether weekend discharge would be associated with an increased rate of 30- and 90-day hospital readmission.