Readmission rates reflect how well whole health and social care systems function

These articles on readmission are based on a flawed premise—that readmissions are a marker of the quality of care in acute hospitals.1 2 3 Of course, patients are sometimes sent home unwell and prematurely, or with complications caused by hospital admission. But readmissions usually occur because4:

• A new illness occurs, unrelated to the first admission

• The patient has a long term condition, such as cardiac failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which relapses

• The hospital, wanting …