Circling the drain: examining hospitalization induced depression and post-hospital syndrome, treatment non adherence, and subsequent readmission

Abstract

Readmissions within thirty days of hospital discharge have significant consequences for the United States healthcare industry. In 2015, Medicare spent $17 billion on readmissions that could have been avoidable (Kauffman, 2016). Patient non adherence to their treatment regimen after discharge is a cause of potentially avoidable readmissions (McIlvennan and Zubin, 2015). Research has demonstrated that hospitalization can lead to depression or post-hospital syndrome, both of which are risk factors for treatment non adherence. This literature review will examine the effects hospitalization can have on patient development of depression and post-hospital syndrome and how those connect to treatment non adherence (ultimately leading to a potentially avoidable readmission).