How does discharge against medical advice affect risk of mortality and unplanned readmission? A retrospective cohort study set in a large UK medical admissions unit

OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency of discharge against medical advice (DAMA) in a large UK teaching hospital, explore factors which increase the risk of DAMA and identify how DAMA impacts patient risk of mortality and readmission. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Large acute teaching hospital in the UK. PATIENTS: 36 683 patients discharged from the acute medical unit of a large UK teaching hospital between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were censored on 1 January 2021. Mortality and 30-day unplanned readmission rates were assessed. Deprivation, age and sex were taken as covariates. RESULTS: 3% of patients discharged against medical advice. These patients were younger (median age (years) (IQR)): planned discharge (PD) 59 (40–77); DAMA 39 (28–51), predominantly of male sex (PD 48%; DAMA 66%) and were of greater social deprivation (in three most deprived quintiles PD 69%; DAMA 84%). DAMA was associated with increased risk of death in patients under the age of 33.3 years (adjusted HR 2.6 (1.2–5.8)) and increased incidence of 30-day readmission (standardised incidence ratio 1.9 (1.5–2.2)). LIMITATIONS: Readmission to acute hospitals outside of the local health board may have been missed. We were unable to include information regarding comorbidity or severity of presentation. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight the vulnerability of younger patients who DAMA, even in a free-at-the-point-of-delivery healthcare setting.