REASONS FOR UNPLANNED HOSPITAL READMISSION OF PALLIATIVE CARE PATIENTS WITH TRACHEOSTOMY: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
1SBÜ Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim Araştırma Hastanesi, Anesteziyoloji ve Reanimasyon Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors affecting the reasons for hospital readmission within 30 days in patients having a tracheostomy and were discharged from the palliative care unit (PCU).Materials and Method: Patients who were discharged from PCU having a tracheostomy either spontaneous breathing or on mechanical ventilatory support between August 2018 and September 2021 were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of the patients, disease diagnoses, comorbid conditions, clinical features, and reasons for unplanned hospital admissions within 30 days of discharged home were examined.
Results: Of the 47 patients included in the study, 57% (n=27) were male, 43% (n=20) were female, with a mean age of 50.04 ± 15.68 years. It was found that 46.8% of patients discharged with tracheostomy had unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days after discharge. Reasons for admission were increased body temperature in 9 patients (40.91%), abdominal pain in 5 patients (22.73%), respiratory distress in 3 patients (13.64%), prolonged power cuts at home in 2 patients (9.09%), changes in level of consciousness in 2 patients (9.09%) and diarrhea in 1 patient (4.55%).
Conclusion: Determining the reasons for unplanned hospital readmission of patients having a tracheostomy and discharged from PCU and considering preventable causes at discharge may reduce unplanned hospital readmission.
Keywords : Tracheostomy, Patient readmission; Palliative care