What are the Average 30-Day Readmission Rates Across U.S. Hospitals?
Readmission rates are critical for hospitals and ACOs as they work to improve patient outcomes and reduce unnecessary healthcare costs through better care coordination and patient education. In this article, we provide critical readmission data about average readmission rates, condition-specific readmission rates, and hospitals with high and low readmission rates.
High readmission rates can be indicative of poor care coordination, inadequate discharge planning, or the presence of chronic health conditions that are not being managed effectively. Conversely, low readmission rates are often associated with better patient outcomes and more effective healthcare delivery.
These rates are critical in identifying areas where healthcare systems can improve and are often used in conjunction with other performance metrics to guide healthcare policies and practices.
Factors Contributing to Readmissions
- Comorbidities: Patients with multiple chronic conditions are at higher risk for readmission across all conditions.
- Post-Discharge Care: Inadequate follow-up care and poor coordination between healthcare providers can increase the likelihood of readmission.
- Socioeconomic Status: Patients with limited access to resources and support systems may struggle with medication adherence and self-care, leading to higher readmission rates.
Average 30-Day Readmission Rates
The average hospital readmission rate in the United States typically ranges from 15% to 20%, depending on the patient population and condition. This rate can vary based on several factors, including the type of hospital, the specific medical condition, and the quality of care provided.
How Do Condition-Specific Readmission Rates Differ from Average 30-Day Readmission Rates?
Condition-specific readmission rates can vary widely depending on the type of illness, treatment, and patient demographics. Here are some examples of average 30-day readmission rates for specific conditions:
- Heart Failure: 22% to 25%
- Pneumonia: 15% to 20%
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: 20% to 24%
- Acute Myocardial Infarction: 17% to 19%
- Hip and Knee Replacements: 4% to 8%
- Sepsis: 15% to 30%
Hospital-Wide Readmission Rates
Another piece of readmission rate data is comparing hospitals nationally. According to CMS, here are the 10 hospitals with the highest and lowest readmission rates.
Lowest
- Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City): 10.1%
- Luke’s Regional Medical Center (Boise, Idaho): 11.55
- New England Baptist Hospital (Boston): 11.5%
- G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center (Salisbury, N.C.): 11.8%
- Arkansas Surgical Hospital (Little Rock, Ark): 12.3%
- Kansas Spine & Specialty Hospital (Wichita, Kan.): 12.35
- Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital (Tyler, Texas): 12.3%
- A.S.I.S. Hospital (Phoenix): 12.4%
- Lancaster (Pa.) General Hospital: 12.4%
- Intermountain Medical Center (Murray, Utah): 12.4%
Highest
- Oroville (Calif.) Hospital: 19.1%
- Lucie Medical Center (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.): 17.95
- LA Downtown Medical Center (Calif.): 17.7%
- Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Medical Center: 17.5%
- Broward Health North (Pompano Beach, Fla.): 17.4%
- VA Boston Healthcare System-Jamaica Plain (Mass.): 17.4%
- Jefferson Stratford (N.J.) Hospital: 17.4%
- John’s Episcopal Hospital at South Shore (Far Rockaway, N.Y.): 17.4%
- Baystate Medical Center (Springfield, Mass.): 17.3%
- Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center (Burbank, Calif.):17.2%
Readmission rates are important indicators of the quality of care and are often used by healthcare providers and policymakers to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
Lisa Remington
Lisa is a home care and health care growth and business development strategist. As president of the Home Care Leadership Think Tank and publisher of The Remington Report, she is well-known as a trusted industry advisor aligning strategic market intelligence into actionable strategies and business blueprints for decades. Lisa has led C-suite education to over 10,000 organizations through a variety of platforms, including think tanks, strategic improvement programs, board retreats, executive leadership programs, peer-to-peer networking groups, and advisory services.
