SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Effect of Language Barriers on Hospital Readmissions and Ed Revisitations

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This retrospective case-control study examined whether limited English proficiency (LEP) affects 30-day hospital readmissions and emergency department (ED) encounters after discharge from a hospital medicine service at a quaternary academic medical center. Researchers reviewed adult patients discharged alive between July 2018 and July 2021 and matched 1,027 LEP patients with 1,027 English-proficient controls based on age, sex, race, and Charlson Comorbidity Index.<br /><br />The study found that LEP patients had higher unadjusted rates of 30-day readmission (17.7% vs 14.3%) and ED visits (20.0% vs 17.3%) compared with English-proficient patients. However, after adjusting for length of stay and discharge disposition using conditional logistic regression, these differences were not statistically significant. The adjusted odds ratio for readmission was 1.25 (95% CI 0.98–1.58; p=0.07), and for ED encounter was 1.18 (95% CI 0.94–1.47; p=0.16).<br /><br />The authors concluded that although LEP patients appeared to have more post-discharge acute care use, the study may have been underpowered due to the relatively small number of LEP patients included. They recommend larger, multicenter studies to better understand health disparities in this population and to identify interventions that may reduce them.

Asset Subtitle

Gururaj J. Kolar

Meta Tag

Author List Amelia Barwise, Gururaj J. Kolar, Ivana Ho, Jane E. Brumbraugh, Jennifer Kleinman Sween, Robert W. Kirchoff, Sagar Dugani, Shangwe Kiliaki

Category Research

Concept Limited English Proficiency

Concept Hospital Readmission

Concept Emergency Department Encounter

Concept Odds Ratio

Concept Retrospective Matched Case-Control Study

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Mayo Clinic

Presenting Author Gururaj J. Kolar

Track Outcomes Research

Keywords

limited English proficiency

LEP

30-day readmission

emergency department encounter

hospital discharge

case-control study

retrospective study

health disparities

conditional logistic regression

quaternary academic medical center

Limited English Proficiency

Hospital Readmission

Emergency Department Encounter

Odds Ratio

Retrospective Matched Case-Control Study