Do variations in hospital mortality patterns after weekend admission reflect reduced quality of care?

"Not every diagnostic group demonstrates a weekend effect, and those that do are associated with quite different risk profiles, suggestive of different causal pathways. Recognising how these different patterns shape the impact of weekend admissions should lead to more diagnosis- and service-specific analyses and solutions."

Do variations in hospital mortality patterns after weekend admission reflect reduced quality of care or different patient cohorts? A population-based study
O Perez Concha, B Gallego, K Hillman, GP Delaney, E Coiera
BMJ Quality and Safety, 2014; 23(3): 215-222

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Weekend admission to hospital has a higher risk of death in the elective setting than in the emergency setting

"Weekend admission appears to be an independent risk factor for dying in hospital and this risk is more pronounced in the elective setting."

Weekend admission to hospital has a higher risk of death in the elective setting than in the emergency setting: A retrospective database study of national health service hospitals in England
MA Mohammed, KS Sidhu, G Rudge, AJ Stevens
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:87

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