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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 1 of 1 Research Studies DisplayedMcGarry BE, Mao Y, Nelson D
Hospital proximity and emergency department use among assisted living residents.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to explore the association between the distance of assisted living (AL) communities to the nearest hospital and AL residents' rates of emergency department (ED) utilization. The researchers hypothesized that when access to an ED is a shorter distance, AL-to-ED transfers are more common, especially for non-emergency conditions. The study found that among 540,944 resident-years from 16,514 AL communities, the median distance to the closest hospital was 2.5 miles. After statistical adjustment, a doubling of distance to the closest hospital was related with 43.5 fewer ED treat-and-release visits per 1000 resident years and no significant difference in the rate of ED visits resulting in an inpatient admission. Among ED treat-and-release visits, a doubling of distance was related with a 3.0% decrease in visits classified as nonemergent, and a 1.6% decrease in visits classified as emergent, not primary care treatable.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: McGarry BE, Mao Y, Nelson D .
Hospital proximity and emergency department use among assisted living residents.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2023 Sep; 24(9):1349-55.e.5. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.05.002..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Medicare, Hospitals