eMJA: In other journals - 2 September 2002

Getting out of hospital in time for the weekend might seem like a good idea, but Canadian researchers warn that a Friday discharge does not necessarily produce the best outcome. A search of Ontario’s hospital Discharge Abstract Database revealed 2 403 181 patients discharged after non-elective admissions between 1990 and 2000. In the 30 days after discharge 1.7% of all patients died and 5.4% were readmitted. Friday was the most popular day for discharge, but, even after controlling for multiple demographic and clinical factors, patients discharged on Fridays had a small but significantly increased risk of death or readmission (hazard ratio, 1.04, compared with those discharged on Wednesdays).