Comparison of Patients Discharged on Weekdays and Weekend/Holidays in 2019 at a Medicine Department of a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia and its Determinants

Purpose: To compare hospital discharges on weekday and weekend at medicine department of a tertiary hospital of Saudi Arabia and review determinants. Methods: This was retrospective cohort study. Patients discharged on weekend and holidays (Gr-1) were cases and those discharged on weekdays (Gr-2) of 2019 were controls. Age, gender, length of hospital stay (LOS) and sub-units medicine department were compared in two groups. The readmission in 30 days after discharge, mortality rate after discharge to home were also estimated. Results: Of the 2,543 annual discharges, 2,114 were sent home. Patients shifted to other hospital and rehabilitation centre were 81 (13.7%) on weekend and 319 (16.9%) during weekdays. Gr-1 and Gr-2 had 557 (26.4%) and 1,557 (73.6%) respectively. The discharge rates in Gr-1 and Gr-2 were 5.4 and 6 per day. The discharge rate was significantly higher in Gr-2 than Gr-1 (Rate Ratio: 0.398, 95% CI 0.36; 0.44, P <0.0001). Age (P= 0.68), Gender (P = 0.86), LOS (Mann Whitney P = 0.77), presence of ulcer (P = 0.49) and mortality after discharge (P = 0.53) were not significantly different in two groups. Discharge rate in two groups varied significantly by subspecialty of medicine. (χ2 = 16.8, P <0.001). The readmission in 30 days after discharge was 3.6% and 23% in Gr-1 and Gr-2. (P = 0.11).