Early Readmission Prediction in Schizophrenia - the READMIT-PREDICT Challenge

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSDs) are chronic mental health conditions, characterized by various symptoms, like hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and difficulties with motivation or social functioning. Many people with SSDs are hospitalized, and of those patients, 5-13% will be readmitted within 30 days, whereas 2-5% will readmit within 7 days. Early readmission, or returning to hospital within 7 or 30 days, is disruptive for patients and their families, and it can be a sign that important mental health needs remain unmet.

Yet, early readmission can be avoided. Evidence shows that targeted interventions before and after discharge, including structured needs assessments, patient and family psychoeducation, and proactive follow-up, can help support recovery and reduce the likelihood of returning to hospital. The challenge is knowing who may need that extra support, and when.

Researchers have increasingly turned to AI to identify patients who may be more likely to return to hospital, using information routinely collected during their hospital stay. But so far, these approaches have had limited success, including at our hospital.

Can you do better?
Your challenge is to develop an AI model that uses information available during hospitalization from simulated electronic health records to identify which patients are most likely to be readmitted within 7 or 30 days following discharge. If successful, this AI model can help clinicians identify opportunities for earlier, more targeted support and ultimately improve transitions from hospital back to the community.