Variations in mortality across the week following emergency admission to hospital: linked retrospective observational analyses of hospital episode data in England, 2004/5 to 2013/14

Abstract

BackgroundPatients admitted to hospital outside normal working hours suffer higher complication and mortality rates than patients admitted at times when the hospital is fully operational. This ‘weekend effect’ is well described but poorly understood. It is not clear whether or not the effect extends to other out-of-hours periods, or how far excess mortality for out-of-hours admissions reflects a different presenting population with higher severity of illness and how much is explained by poorer availability and quality of services.ObjectivesWe aimed to assess (1) the costs and benefits of introducing 7-day services, (2) whether or not mortality rates are elevated during all out-of-hours perio..