Problem Description & Introduction - Background: Hospitals are penalized for patients that are re-admitted less than 30 days after they are released. - Business Objectives: To reduce or eliminate the number of patients re-admitted less than 30 days after they are released. - Success Criteria: Identification of factors that increse the likelihood of a patient returning within 30 days. - Business Value: The average cost in 2011 for a hospital stay was $10,000.* - *http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/11-statistics-on-average-hospital-costs-per-stay.html