TY - JOUR PY - 2018// TI - Hidden costs of hospitalization after firearm injury: national analysis of different hospital readmission JO - Annals of surgery A1 - Rattan, Rishi A1 - Parreco, Joshua A1 - Namias, Nicholas A1 - Pust, Gerd D. A1 - Yeh, D. Dante A1 - Zakrison, Tanya L. SP - 810 EP - 815 VL - 267 IS - 5 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk factors and costs associated with readmission after firearm injury nationally, including different hospitals.

BACKGROUND: No national studies capture readmission to different hospitals after firearm injury.

METHODS: The 2013 to 2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for patients admitted after firearm injury. Logistic regression identified risk factors for 30-day same and different hospital readmission. Cost was calculated. Survey weights were used for national estimates.

RESULTS: There were 45,462 patients admitted for firearm injury during the study period. The readmission rate was 7.6%, and among those, 16.8% were readmitted to a different hospital. Admission cost was $1.45 billion and 1-year readmission cost was $131 million. Sixty-four per cent of those injured by firearms were publicly insured or uninsured. Readmission predictors included: length of stay >7 days [odds ratio (OR) 1.43, P < 0.01], Injury Severity Score >15 (OR 1.41, P < 0.01), and requiring an operation (OR 1.40, P < 0.01). Private insurance was a predictor against readmission (OR 0.81, P < 0.01). Predictors of readmission to a different hospital were unique and included: initial admission to a for-profit hospital (OR 1.52, P < 0.01) and median household income ≥$64,000 (OR 1.48, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of the national burden of firearm readmissions is missed by not tracking different hospital readmission and its unique set of risk factors. Firearm injury-related hospitalization costs $791 million yearly, with the largest fraction paid by the public. This has implications for policy, benchmarking, quality, and resource allocation.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0003-4932 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000002529 ID - ref1 ER -