Preventing Bounce-Backs: More Filled Meds, Less Hurting Heads.

This retrospective cohort analysis of Medicaid claims data included .30 000 children from 12 states who were hospitalized for asthma from 2005 to 2007. The study linked hospitalization for asthma and readmission for asthma with b-agonist medication fill rate, oral steroid fill rate, and inhaled steroid fill rate. Readmission was defined as hospitalization with a primary or secondary diagnosis of asthma within 90 days of discharge. Prescription filling included pharmacy claims 1 day before discharge to 3 days after discharge. The authors hypothesized that filling of b-agonists and oral steroids would be associated with reduction in short-term readmission (#14 days) and that filling inhaled steroids would reduce readmission at later intervals.