The Readmission Trap: Why One Hospital Visit Becomes Three
Hospital readmissions aren’t caused by bad care — they’re caused by care that never comes together. Margaret’s story shows how a simple discharge can unravel when no one coordinates medications, follow‑ups, or communication between providers. She left the hospital with new prescriptions, referrals, and instructions, but no plan connecting them. Two weeks later, she was back in the ER with the same issue. This isn’t a patient failure; it’s a system failure rooted in fragmentation. When no one holds the full picture, vulnerable patients fall through the cracks, driving billions in preventable readmissions every year.
