Too many patients leave the hospital, only to bounce back within a few weeks -- an indication that either they were discharged too soon or they were unable to care for themselves properly. In measures of this revolving-door syndrome, called “readmission,” Florida hospitals score among the highest and the lowest, as Health News Florida reported last year.
Medicare has put the onus on hospitals to come up with ways to prevent readmissions -- cutting their pay if they don’t -- but a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation indicates Florida hospitals, on average, have not been able to improve, the Orlando Sentinel says.
Miami has the worst rate in the state, but Orlando is high, too. Sarasota’s rate is lowest.