Background: Chronic airflow limitation (CAL) is a common cause of admission and readmission to hospital. This study has explored associated factors with repeat hospital admission in patients with CAL.
Method: A retrospective file review of patients admitted more than once to hospital during the 1999 calendar year, with a diagnosis of CAL.
Results: Two hundred and two patients admitted with CAL accounted for 284 admissions and 1815 bed days. Of these, 46 patients were admitted more than once accounting for 115 (40.5%) admissions and 730 (39.8%) bed days. The study found evidence of general practice involvement in 35 (30.5%) admissions immediately before presentation at the hospital emergency department (ED). The discharge summary following that admission revealed only 67 (54%) were referred back to their general practitioners for follow up. The number of admissions attending the ED between the hours of 9.00 am and 5.00 pm were 62 (53.9%) and 96 (83.5%) between the hours of 7.00 am and 10.00 pm.
Conclusion: Treatments given in hospital were similar, in most cases, to what could be provided at home with appropriate community based support. General practitioners were involved in approximately one-third of those patients requiring admission or re-admission to hospital.