A reengineered hospital discharge program to decrease rehospitalization: a randomized trial.

Background: Emergency department visits and rehospitalization are common after hospital discharge.

Objective: To test the effects of an intervention designed to minimize hospital utilization after discharge.

Design: Randomized trial using block randomization of 6 and 8.

Depression is a risk factor for rehospitalization in medical inpatients.

Background: Rehospitalization occurs in approximately 20% of medical inpatients within 90 days of discharge. Rehospitalization accounts for considerable morbidity, mortality, and costs. Identification of risk factors could lead to interventions to reduce rehospitalization.