National University of Singapore-based researchers developed a web-based tool that can predict 15-day readmission risk for patients. The researchers published the details regarding the development and validation of the tool in Pharmacotherapy.
The tool is a predictive model that calculates readmission risk by taking into account numerous risk factors. These factors include "age, presence of pre-existing conditions, number of discharge medications, discharge destination and evidence of premature discharge against medical advice — and the weightage attached to them," said Sreemanee Raaj Dorajoo, a PhD candidate from NUS' department of pharmacy.
For example, NUS researchers found that the risk of 15-day readmission increased by about 6 percent for every additional medication prescribed.
Researchers tested the tool using data from 621 patients at two Singapore=based hospitals, between August and September 2015.