Weekend hospitalization and additional risk of death: an analysis of inpatient data.
Past studies have described the relationship between weekend care and overall complications, delays in urgent procedures, survival from in-hospital cardiac arrest, and mortality from acute myocardial infarction. Weekend admissions have also been associated with 10% higher odds of death. This study adds to the existing literature by analyzing more than 14 million admissions to the National Health Service Hospitals in England. Investigators found a higher rate of 30-day deaths for weekend admissions compared to midweek ones. Of note, there was a reduced risk of deaths occurring on the weekends themselves; the risk came on subsequent days. The authors highlight the economic tradeoffs that must be considered in determining whether providing equivalent care on weekends is a viable investment of limited resources.