A recent study has found that 1 in 5 Medicare patients discharged from hospital is re-hospitalized in 30 days. However, half are back in the hospital in a year’s time which is excessively costly.

This study repot appeared in the issue of the New England Journal of Medicine published on 2nd April.It was found by the study authors that random readmission to hospitals in 2004 costed around $17.4 billion to Medicare.

Medicare is a federally administered system of health insurance available to persons aged 65 and over, in several countries. In the new research, it is found that readmission causes heavy expenditures and sometimes life threatening problems too. It is believed that the situation can be prevented if patients are provided best care on the 1st instance.

Dr. Stephen F. Jencks, former director of the Quality Improvement Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Baltimore said that while leaving the hospital people should clarify the ambiguities. A follow up date should be checked with the Physician before leaving the hospital.

Jencks also advised that immediate action is necessary. According to him, the study results show that the system is not working properly hammering the peoples with billions of dollars’ cost each year. It also causes a miserable condition to the patient and his family.

To undergo the study Medicare took data from October 2003 to December 2004. This data held detailed information about 12 million patients approximately, which were discharged from a hospital in that period of time.