Increased risk of 30-day hospital readmission among patients discharged against medical advice: a nationwide analysis

Purpose Annually, 1%–2% of hospitalized patients are discharged against medical advice (AMA), positioning them at an increased risk of readmission, morbidity, and mortality. Our study aim was to examine 30-day all-cause readmission rates and estimate readmission odds among AMA discharges in the United States, across clinically distinct diagnostic subgroups. Methods We conducted a retrospective, serial cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2010–2017 Nationwide Readmissions Database. Descriptive statistics and 30-day all-cause readmission rates for hospitalizations among adults aged 18 years or older were estimated by major diagnostic subgroup, discharge disposition, and patient and hospital characteristics. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using multipredictor logistic regression. Results We found the AMA discharge to be an independent predictor of hospital readmission within 30 days, with a 25.6% readmission rate and an overall adjusted likelihood of readmission that was almost double to quadruple that of routine discharges. Furthermore, although hospitalizations experienced decreased odds of readmission after the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program implementation (October 1, 2012), our results demonstrate that the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program did not modify the impact of an AMA discharge on readmission. Conclusion These findings have implications for practice, policies, and interventions aimed at improving care quality, preventing AMA discharge, and reducing hospital readmissions in inpatient settings.