How to Calculate Hospital Readmission Rate

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Hospital Readmission Rate Calculator

Calculation Results

Readmission Rate: 0%

How to Calculate Hospital Readmission Rate

The hospital readmission rate is a critical quality metric in healthcare management. It measures the percentage of patients who are admitted back into a hospital within a specific period (typically 30 days) after being discharged from an initial stay.

The Readmission Rate Formula

Readmission Rate = (Number of Readmissions / Total Number of Discharges) × 100

Step-by-Step Calculation Guide

  1. Identify the Time Period: Choose the timeframe you want to analyze (e.g., one month, a quarter, or a full year).
  2. Count Total Discharges: Count every patient who was discharged during that period. Exclude patients who died during the stay or were transferred to another acute care facility.
  3. Count Readmissions: Within that pool of discharged patients, count how many returned to the hospital within 30 days for any reason (unless specifically filtering for "planned" readmissions).
  4. Divide and Multiply: Divide the readmissions by the total discharges and multiply by 100 to get the percentage.

Example Calculation

Suppose "City General Hospital" had 2,500 total discharges in the month of May. Out of those 2,500 patients, 375 were readmitted within 30 days of their original discharge date.

  • Total Discharges: 2,500
  • Readmissions: 375
  • Calculation: (375 / 2,500) = 0.15
  • Result: 0.15 × 100 = 15% Readmission Rate

Why Readmission Rates Matter

In the United States, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses the 30-day readmission rate as a benchmark for hospital performance. High readmission rates may lead to financial penalties under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). More importantly, high rates often signal gaps in discharge planning, patient education, or follow-up care coordination.

Benchmarking Results

While "ideal" rates vary by medical condition (e.g., heart failure vs. elective hip replacement), the national average for all-cause 30-day readmissions typically hovers around 15%. Rates significantly higher than this average often trigger internal audits to identify systemic issues in patient care transitions.

function calculateReadmissionRate() { var totalDischarges = document.getElementById("totalDischarges").value; var readmissions = document.getElementById("readmissions").value; var resultArea = document.getElementById("resultArea"); var finalRateSpan = document.getElementById("finalRate"); var interpretationText = document.getElementById("interpretationText"); // Convert to numbers var total = parseFloat(totalDischarges); var readmit = parseFloat(readmissions); // Validation if (isNaN(total) || isNaN(readmit) || total total) { alert("Readmissions cannot be greater than the total number of discharges."); resultArea.style.display = "none"; return; } // Calculation var rate = (readmit / total) * 100; var formattedRate = rate.toFixed(2); // Display finalRateSpan.innerText = formattedRate; resultArea.style.display = "block"; // Dynamic Interpretation var message = ""; if (rate > 20) { message = "Warning: This readmission rate is significantly higher than the national average. It is recommended to review discharge protocols and post-acute care coordination."; } else if (rate > 15) { message = "Note: This rate is slightly above or near the national average. Continuous monitoring of patient follow-up is advised."; } else { message = "Excellent: This readmission rate is within or below the standard national benchmarks."; } interpretationText.innerText = message; }

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