When hospital leaders realized they'll endure cuts of up to 1% from their Medicare reimbursement for higher rates of 30-day readmissions starting next month, many complained. What brings discharged patients back to their facilities most often is largely outside their control, they said.

Patients can't get to the doctor, can't afford or don't fill prescriptions, get confused about dosages or forget they must change their routines. Their anxiety or loneliness or an unexpected drug reaction to a pain medication prompts them to dial 911. Oblivious to household hazards, they suffer a fall.

Those are nonmedical issues influenced by social or economic factors and extend far beyond a hospital's discharge planning responsibilities.

Read more on how communities and hospitals, including Alegent Creighton Health, are addressing this issue