National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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 DisplayedDuncan MS, Robbins NN, Wernke SA
Geographic variation in access to cardiac rehabilitation.
Considerable regional disparities exist in the commencement of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), with only 10% to 40% of eligible patients at the state level participating. The potential factors contributing to these discrepancies, such as accessibility to CR facilities, remain insufficiently explored. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of CR center availability on CR initiation among Medicare beneficiaries. The researchers utilized Medicare records to pinpoint CR-eligible Medicare beneficiaries and compute CR initiation rates at the hospital referral region (HRR) level. Linear regression was applied to evaluate the percentage variance in CR initiation explained by CR accessibility across HRRs. Geospatial hotspot analysis was performed to detect CR deserts, or counties where the patient-to-CR center ratio is notably high. The study found that between 2014 and 2017, 1,133,657 Medicare beneficiaries were eligible for CR, with 263,310 (23%) initiating CR. The West North Central Census Division exhibited the highest adjusted CR initiation rate (35.4%) and the greatest concentration of CR programs (6.58 per 1,000 CR-eligible Medicare beneficiaries). CR program density accounted for 21.2% of the regional variation in CR initiation at the HRR level. A total of 40 predominantly urban counties, encompassing 14% of the U.S. population aged ≥65 years, were identified as CR deserts due to limited CR access.
AHRQ-funded; HS022990
Citation: Duncan MS, Robbins NN, Wernke SA .
Geographic variation in access to cardiac rehabilitation.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2023 Mar 21;81(11):1049-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.01.016.
Keywords: Rehabilitation, Access to Care, Cardiovascular Conditions