Rehospitalization Rates Among Home Health Patients Affected By Social Factors & Self-Care Deficit

Rehospitalization rates among home health patients are highest among those with self-care deficits due to social-environmental factors. Among a sample of 1,268 Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 admitted to home care, about 20% (262 patients) were rehospitalized within 60 days. Of those that were rehospitalized, two-thirds were rehospitalized within 20 days. A comparison of clinical severity and social/environmental factors related to patient functional ability differences between the two groups found that rehospitalization risk could be predicted by a self-care deficit. The term self-care deficit is defined as having clinical needs that exceed functional . . .