A retrospective descriptive study conducted at a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan has established that medication-related problems were associated with 30.7 percent of early hospital readmissions among hospice patients. Focusing on readmissions occurring within seven days of discharge over a one-year observation period, the investigation analyzed 163 early readmissions to determine how frequently pharmaceutical difficulties contribute to acute rehospitalization. Early readmissions are common among hospice patients and often indicate unresolved or rapidly evolving symptoms following discharge from an inpatient facility. Because medication-related problems have remained insufficiently characterized among hospice populations within the Middle East, the researchers set out to document the prevalence and specific nature of these issues while comparing medication patterns and supportive-care practices before and during subsequent hospital stays.
To evaluate these transitions, the investigators reviewed patient records across the one-year interval at the oncology center, identifying and classifying medication-related problems using established clinical categories. The research methodology utilized descriptive statistics to summarize all medication adjustments and supportive-care interventions across two distinct observation phases: the pre-readmission interval following initial discharge and the period of subsequent hospitalization. By focusing specifically on readmissions taking place within a seven-day window, the descriptive study captured immediate post-discharge vulnerabilities in a specialized cancer care setting.
Among the 163 early readmissions evaluated in the study, 30.7 percent were directly linked to medication-related problems, with several primary contributors identified across the cases. The leading factor among readmissions associated with medication problems was insufficient dosing for symptom control, which was documented in 70 percent of those readmissions. In addition, uninitiated but clinically indicated medications contributed to 20 percent of the medication-related readmissions, highlighting instances where necessary therapies had not been prescribed or started prior to acute deterioration. Adherence challenges were identified in 14 percent of the medication-related readmission cohort, demonstrating that difficulties in taking prescribed regimens also impaired post-discharge management. The researchers noted that these clinical categories were not mutually exclusive, meaning individual patients frequently experienced multiple overlapping medication issues simultaneously.
The study also revealed substantial disparities in medication patterns when comparing the period before readmission to the subsequent hospital stay. In the pre-readmission interval between initial discharge and rehospitalization, medication changes were limited in number and predominantly involved oral drugs. Clinical management during this outpatient phase featured frequent deprescribing of chronic therapies, as care teams sought to adjust regimens following discharge. However, once patients deteriorated and were admitted back to the hospital, medication intensity increased markedly to address escalating clinical demands. During subsequent hospitalization, clinicians executed 367 medication additions, carried out 283 discontinuations, and implemented 100 dose adjustments, reflecting a rapid, large-scale restructuring of therapeutic regimens in response to patient crises.
This heightened pharmacological intensity during readmission was characterized by a dramatic shift in delivery methods and therapeutic classes.
Concurrent with the marked escalation in pharmacotherapy, supportive-care interventions increased substantially throughout the hospital stay. Inpatient clinical teams significantly expanded the use of intravenous hydration, oxygen therapy, blood transfusions, and invasive procedures to stabilize readmitted hospice patients. Based on these observed patterns, the authors concluded that medication-related problems represent a common and potentially modifiable contributor to early hospice readmissions. Rapid symptom evolution and changing medication needs during care transitions frequently precede clinical deterioration. To mitigate these risks within developing palliative care systems, the researchers highlighted the necessity of strengthening anticipatory medication planning, enhancing caregiver support, and ensuring greater flexibility in drug dosing and administration routes to optimize symptom control and reduce avoidable readmissions.
Subject of Research: Medication-related problems in early hospice hospital readmissions
Article Title: Medication-related problems associated with early hospital readmissions among hospice patients at a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan: a retrospective descriptive study
Article References: Dabbous, A., Said, A., Mughrabi, A. E., Farsakh, F. A., & Salmany, S. S. (2026). Medication-related problems associated with early hospital readmissions among hospice patients at a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan: a retrospective descriptive study. BMC Palliative Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-026-02409-1
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12904-026-02409-1
Keywords: hospice care, medication-related problems, hospital readmissions, cancer care, palliative care, Jordan, symptom control, clinical oncology, Medication-related, problems, associated, early
