Readmission risk increased

Heart failure patients who went to a nursing home were 50% more likely to be readmitted to the hospital than patients who returned home instead, according to a study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Researchers examined records of 1,500 Minnesota residents to reach their findings.

More than 40% of heart failure patients were admitted to a skilled nursing facility at some point after diagnosis; more than one-third of those spend two or more subsequent stints in a skilled nursing facility.

In general, hospital readmissions for patients from a skilled nursing facility were for reasons unrelated to cardiovascular function, researchers added.