News: EHR based interventions reduce 90-day all-cause readmissions by 28%, meta-analysis shows

Electronic health record (EHR) based interventions are associated with a reduced risk of hospital readmissions, according to a new meta-analysis study published in JAMA Network Open.

The meta-analysis examined 116 randomized clinical trials containing 204,523 participants. In the cohorts examined, 56% were male and the mean age was 68.

“We found that EHR-based interventions were associated with a reduction in the risk of 30-day and 90-day all-cause readmission by 17% and 28%,” the authors of the study noted.

“[I]ntervention performance,” they continued, “was better in study populations composed mostly of males and older participants, when participants were at least partially supported by health care professionals, and when the intervention included fewer than 3 components.”

In their conclusion, the authors argued that future research should examine EHRs in detail and, in particular, which aspects of EHR intervention are best suited for each type of patient: “These insights can inform the design of more effective, patient-centered interventions that leverage EHR capabilities to improve care transitions and reduce preventable hospital readmissions.”

Editor’s note: To read the JAMA study, click here.