Publication:

Variables affecting post-inpatient admission outcomes

In the Unites States, mental illness affects one in five people. This high prevalence rate leads to a significant number of these individuals requiring inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations. Chronic and persistent mental illnesses lead to readmissions and extended average lengths of stays and fuel escalating health care costs. Estimates show a 12.2% increase in cost between 2005 and 2014. Analyzing data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Heslin and Weiss (2015) determined that approximately 20% of all Medicare patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge (taking into account all illnesses), with costs totaling 15 – 20 billion dollars annually.