AHRQ says that more patients are leaving against medical advice

More news from the AHRQ–this time, however, patients may be acting as a threat to themselves. An August report from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project says that between 1997 and 2007, the number of patients who left the hospital against medical advice rose 39%. Although the 368,000 people who did leave against medical advice represent only 1.2% of all hospital patients, the readmission rate for these patients is significantly higher than for the rest of the patient population—not to mention these patients immediately put themselves at high medical risk.

Patients leave against medical advice for many reasons. The report makes it clear that it’s necessary to get to the bottom of why patients might leave against medical advice, because that holds the key to making sure they complete their hospital stays in the future. Often the reasons may be related to external factors, like financial obligations or family emergencies versus perception of poor treatment, but it’s important to address these external factors as well in order to provide the safest care.

Have you had any experience with patients who left against medical advice? How have you addressed this issue as a medical staff?