What does readmission mean?
Readmission means admission again after an earlier admission has ended. It is used especially in healthcare to describe a patient's return to a hospital, often within a defined period such as 30 days, and in educational or institutional settings to describe being accepted back after leaving or being excluded. The phrase “hospital readmission” and the expression “readmission rate” are particularly common in public health, where the word may carry a negative connotation because repeat admissions can indicate complications, inadequate aftercare, or avoidable treatment problems. In a broader context, readmission can be neutral or even positive: a student may be permitted to return, or a former resident may be readmitted to a country or community. The word is precise where “admission” alone would not specify a return. Its formation is transparent: the prefix re- means “again,” while admission refers to being allowed or sent in. Together, they express renewed access after a prior period of separation.
nounThe act of admitting or being admitted again, especially after a prior admission to a hospital, school, other institution, or country.
- The act or process of admitting or being admitted again, particularly to a hospital or educational institution.
"The hospital introduced follow-up care to reduce patient readmissions."
"Care after discharge can reduce the likelihood of readmission."
"Her readmission to the university was approved after the original application was withdrawn."
The standard plural of the noun, especially in phrases such as “hospital readmissions” and “readmission rates.”
"The number of hospital readmissions declined after the new discharge program began."
The prefix “re-” turns a closed door into a second chance: a patient can return to the hospital, and a student can return to the classroom.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does readmission come from?
Readmission is an English formation combining re-, meaning “again,” with admission. The base admission comes from Latin admittere, “to admit” or “let in,” formed from ad- (“to”) and mittere (“send”), with the original sense involving sending someone in. Related English forms include admission, admittance, admissible, and admit.
Related word forms
How readmission is actually used
The term is formal and especially common in healthcare, education, corrections, and institutional administration. In medical contexts, it usually denotes a patient's return to the same or a related hospital within a specified period; in other contexts, it may imply that the person was previously admitted or excluded.
Easily confused with readmission
Admission can refer to a person's first entry or acceptance into a place or institution, whereas readmission specifically means admission again after a previous admission.