The impact on thirty day readmissions for patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admitted to an observation unit versus an inpatient medical unit: A retrospective observational study.

Patients admitted for AECOPD with a history of PE, CHF, prior AECOPD admissions, and socioeconomic deprivation are at higher risk of readmission and should be prioritized for direct inpatient admission. Further prospective studies should be conducted to determine the clinical impact of this approach on readmission rates.