Whatever happens to trauma patients who leave against medical advice?
Document Type
Article
Department
General Surgery
Abstract
Background: Although trauma patients are frequently discharged against medical advice (AMA), the fate of these patients remains mostly unknown.
Methods: Patients with traumatic injuries were identified in the California State Inpatient Database, 2007 to 2011. Readmission characteristics of patients discharged AMA were compared with patients discharged home.
Results: There were 203,756 (75.65%) patients discharged home and 4,480 (1.66%) discharged AMA. Compared with those discharged home, patients discharged AMA had significantly higher 30-day readmission rates (17.12% vs 6.75%), rates of multiple readmissions (3.83% vs 1.12%), and likelihood of being readmitted at different hospitals (44.83% vs 33.82%) (all P < .001). The commonest reasons for readmission in patients discharged AMA were psychiatric conditions [adjusted odds ratio: 1.67 (1.21 to 2.27)].
Conclusions: Discharge AMA is associated with multiple readmissions and higher rates of readmissions at different hospitals. Early identification of vulnerable patients and improved modalities to prevent discharge AMA among these patients may reduce the negative outcomes associated with discharge AMA among trauma patients.
Publication (Name of Journal)
The American Journal of Surgery
Recommended Citation
Olufajo, O. A.,
Metcalfe, D.,
Yorkgitis, B. K.,
Cooper, Z.,
Askari, R.,
Havens, J. M.,
Brat, G. A.,
Aziz, A.,
Salim, A.
(2016). Whatever happens to trauma patients who leave against medical advice?. The American Journal of Surgery, 211(4), 677-683.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_surg_gen/429
Comments
This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University