National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Events (2)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Children/Adolescents (1)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Disparities (1)
- Elderly (2)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (1)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (2)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (2)
- Hospital Discharge (1)
- (-) Hospital Readmissions (15)
- (-) Hospitals (15)
- Injuries and Wounds (1)
- Medicare (4)
- Mortality (2)
- Nursing Homes (1)
- Outcomes (2)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (2)
- Patient Safety (1)
- Pneumonia (1)
- Policy (1)
- Provider Performance (2)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (1)
- Risk (2)
- Sepsis (1)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Surgery (3)
- Transplantation (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 15 of 15 Research Studies DisplayedNash KA, Weerahandi H, Yu H
Measuring equity in readmission as a distinct assessment of hospital performance.
This study examined the measure of equitable readmissions in hospitals as developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Objectives were to define a measure of equitable readmissions; identify hospitals with equitable readmissions by insurance (dual eligible vs non-dual eligible) or patient race (Black vs White); and compare hospitals with and without equitable readmissions by hospital characteristics and performance on accountability measures (quality, cost, and value). The authors used data from a cross-section of hospitals who were eligible for the CMS Hospital-Wide Readmission measure using Medicare data from July 2018 through June 2019. Of 4638 hospitals, they found that 74% served a sufficient number of dual-eligible patients, and 42% served a sufficient number of Black patients to apply CMS Disparity Methods by insurance and race. Of these eligible hospitals, 17% had equitable readmission rates by insurance and 30% by race. Hospitals with equitable readmissions by insurance or race cared for a lower percentage of Black patients (insurance, 1.9% vs 3.3%, race, 7.6% vs 9.3%), and differed from nonequitable hospitals in multiple domains (teaching status, geography, size. In examining equity by insurance, hospitals with low costs were more likely to have equitable readmissions, and there was no relationship between quality and value, and equity. In examining equity by race, hospitals with high overall quality were more likely to have equitable readmissions, and there was no relationship between cost and value, and equity.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882.
Citation: Nash KA, Weerahandi H, Yu H .
Measuring equity in readmission as a distinct assessment of hospital performance.
JAMA 2024 Jan 9; 331(2):111-23. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.24874..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Provider Performance, Disparities
Desai NR, Ross JS, Kwon JY
Association between hospital penalty status under the hospital readmission reduction program and readmission rates for target and nontarget conditions.
This study compared trends in readmission rates for target and nontarget conditions, stratified by hospital penalty status after the announcement of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). It found that Medicare fee-for-service patients at hospitals subject to penalties under the HRRP had greater reductions in readmission rates compared with those at nonpenalized hospitals. Changes were greater for target vs nontarget conditions for patients at the penalized hospitals but not at the other hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882; HS023000.
Citation: Desai NR, Ross JS, Kwon JY .
Association between hospital penalty status under the hospital readmission reduction program and readmission rates for target and nontarget conditions.
JAMA 2016 Dec 27;316(24):2647-56. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.18533.
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Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Medicare, Pneumonia
Thompson MP, Kaplan CM, Cao Y
Reliability of 30-day readmission measures used in the hospital readmission reduction program.
The researchers assessed the reliability of risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRRs) for medical conditions and surgical procedures used in the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). They found that approximately 25 percent of payments for excess readmissions were tied to unreliable RSRRs. Unreliable measures blur the connection between hospital performance and incentives, and threaten the success of the HRRP.
AHRQ-funded; HS023783.
Citation: Thompson MP, Kaplan CM, Cao Y .
Reliability of 30-day readmission measures used in the hospital readmission reduction program.
Health Serv Res 2016 Oct 21;51(6):2095-114. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12587.
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Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Elderly, Quality Measures
Carey K, Lin MY
Hospital readmissions reduction program: safety-net hospitals show improvement, modifications to penalty formula still needed.
This study addressed the fundamental question of whether the Medicare's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) has been an effective tool for reducing thirty-day readmissions in safety-net hospitals. It found that in the first three years of the program, these hospitals reduced readmissions for heart attack by 2.86 percent, heart failure by 2.78 percent, and pneumonia by 1.77 percent.
AHRQ-funded; HS024853.
Citation: Carey K, Lin MY .
Hospital readmissions reduction program: safety-net hospitals show improvement, modifications to penalty formula still needed.
Health Aff 2016 Oct 1;35(10):1918-23. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0537.
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Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Medicare
Chin DL, Bang H, Manickam RN
Rethinking thirty-day hospital readmissions: shorter intervals might be better indicators of quality of care.
The researchers examined risk-standardized thirty-day risk of unplanned inpatient readmission at the hospital level for Medicare patients ages sixty-five and older in four states and for three conditions: acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and pneumonia. The hospital-level quality signal captured in readmission risk was highest on the first day after discharge and declined rapidly until it reached a nadir at seven days, as indicated by a decreasing intracluster correlation coefficient.
AHRQ-funded; HS022236.
Citation: Chin DL, Bang H, Manickam RN .
Rethinking thirty-day hospital readmissions: shorter intervals might be better indicators of quality of care.
Health Aff 2016 Oct;35(10):1867-75. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0205.
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Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Quality of Care, Hospitals, Quality Indicators (QIs)
McLeod L, Flynn J, Erickson M
Variation in 60-day readmission for surgical-site infections (SSIs) and reoperation following spinal fusion operations for neuromuscular scoliosis.
The purpose of this study was to examine variation in hospital performance based on risk-standardized 60-day readmission rates for surgical-site infection (SSIs) and reoperation across 39 US Children's Hospitals. It found that reoperations were associated with an SSI in 70 percent of cases. Across hospitals, SSI and reoperation rates ranged from 1 percent to 11 percent and 1 percent to 12 percent, respectively.
AHRQ-funded; HS022198.
Citation: McLeod L, Flynn J, Erickson M .
Variation in 60-day readmission for surgical-site infections (SSIs) and reoperation following spinal fusion operations for neuromuscular scoliosis.
J Pediatr Orthop 2016 Sep;36(6):634-9. doi: 10.1097/bpo.0000000000000495.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Surgery, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Injuries and Wounds, Adverse Events, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Risk
Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML
AHRQ Author: Eldridge N
Association between hospital performance on patient safety and 30-day mortality and unplanned readmission for Medicare fee-for-service patients with acute myocardial infarction.
The researchers studied the relationship between hospital performance on adverse event rates and hospital performance on 30-day mortality and unplanned readmission rates for Medicare fee-for-service patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). They found that for Medicare fee-for-service patients discharged with AMI, hospitals with poorer patient safety performance were also more likely to have poorer performance on 30-day all-cause mortality and on unplanned readmissions.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML .
Association between hospital performance on patient safety and 30-day mortality and unplanned readmission for Medicare fee-for-service patients with acute myocardial infarction.
J Am Heart Assoc 2016 Jul;5(7):pii: e003731. doi: 10.1161/jaha.116.003731.
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Keywords: Adverse Events, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Medicare, Mortality, Heart Disease and Health, Patient Safety, Provider Performance
Basu J, Avila R, Ricciardi R
AHRQ Author: Basu J, Ricciardi R
Hospital readmission rates in U.S. states: are readmissions higher where more patients with multiple chronic conditions cluster?
This study examines small area variations in readmission rates to assess whether higher readmission rate in an area is associated with higher clusters of patients with multiple chronic conditions. It found that areas with higher concentration of patients with increased comorbid conditions are more likely to have higher readmission rates.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Basu J, Avila R, Ricciardi R .
Hospital readmission rates in U.S. states: are readmissions higher where more patients with multiple chronic conditions cluster?
Health Serv Res 2016 Jun;51(3):1135-51. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12401..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals
Blecker S, Goldfeld K, Park H
Impact of an intervention to improve weekend hospital care at an academic medical center: an observational study.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a weekend hospital intervention on processes of care and clinical outcomes. The multifaceted intervention included expanded weekend diagnostic services, improved weekend discharge processes, and increased physician and care management services on weekends. The intervention was associated with a reduction in length of stay and an increase in weekend discharges.
AHRQ-funded; HS023683.
Citation: Blecker S, Goldfeld K, Park H .
Impact of an intervention to improve weekend hospital care at an academic medical center: an observational study.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Nov;30(11):1657-64. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3330-6.
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Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Hospitals, Hospital Discharge, Hospital Readmissions, Healthcare Delivery, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Donnelly JP, Hohmann SF, Wang HE
Unplanned readmissions after hospitalization for severe sepsis at academic medical center-affiliated hospitals.
The researchers sought to characterize 7- and 30-day readmission rates following hospital admission for severe sepsis as well as institutional variations in readmission. They concluded that severe sepsis readmission places a substantial burden on the healthcare system, with one in 15 and one in five severe sepsis discharges readmitted within 7 and 30 days, respectively.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Donnelly JP, Hohmann SF, Wang HE .
Unplanned readmissions after hospitalization for severe sepsis at academic medical center-affiliated hospitals.
Crit Care Med 2015 Sep;43(9):1916-27. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000001147..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Risk, Sepsis
Brooke BS, Goodney PP, Kraiss LW
Readmission destination and risk of mortality after major surgery: an observational cohort study.
This study examined the association between readmission destination and mortality risk in the USA in Medicare beneficiaries after a range of common operations. It found that patients who are readmitted to hospital after various major operations consistently achieve improved survival if they return to the hospital where their surgery took place.
AHRQ-funded; HS021581.
Citation: Brooke BS, Goodney PP, Kraiss LW .
Readmission destination and risk of mortality after major surgery: an observational cohort study.
Lancet 2015 Aug 29;386(9996):884-95. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(15)60087-3..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Mortality, Surgery, Elderly, Outcomes, Hospitals
McElroy LM, Schmidt KA, Richards CT
Early postoperative emergency department care of abdominal transplant recipients.
The goal of this study was to describe early postoperative ED care of transplant recipients. It found that transplant recipients have a high frequency of ED visits in the first post transplantation year and high rates of subsequent hospital admission.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: McElroy LM, Schmidt KA, Richards CT .
Early postoperative emergency department care of abdominal transplant recipients.
Transplantation 2015 Aug;99(8):1652-7. doi: 10.1097/tp.0000000000000781..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Transplantation, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals
Shih T, Ryan AM, Gonzalez AA
Medicare's hospital readmissions reduction program in surgery may disproportionately affect minority-serving hospitals.
The authors aimed to project readmission penalties for hospitals performing cardiac surgery and examine how these penalties will affect minority-serving hospitals. They found that minority-serving hospitals would disproportionately bear the burden of readmission penalties if expanded to include cardiac surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS018546.
Citation: Shih T, Ryan AM, Gonzalez AA .
Medicare's hospital readmissions reduction program in surgery may disproportionately affect minority-serving hospitals.
Ann Surg 2015 Jun;261(6):1027-31. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000000778.
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Keywords: Hospitals, Medicare, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Hospital Readmissions, Surgery
Holdsworth La E, Zhu R, Hassmiller Lich K
The effects of state psychiatric hospital waitlist policies on length of stay and time to readmission.
This study examined the effects of a waitlist policy for state psychiatric hospitals on length of stay and time to readmission. The authors found that waitlists were associated with increased length of stay and time to readmission.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Holdsworth La E, Zhu R, Hassmiller Lich K .
The effects of state psychiatric hospital waitlist policies on length of stay and time to readmission.
Adm Policy Ment Health 2015 May;42(3):332-42. doi: 10.1007/s10488-014-0573-1.
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Keywords: Hospitals, Behavioral Health, Policy, Substance Abuse, Hospital Readmissions
Thomas KS, Rahman M, Mor V
Influence of hospital and nursing home quality on hospital readmissions.
The authors sought to determine whether the quality of the hospital and of the nursing home (NH) to which a patient was discharged were related to the likelihood of rehospitalization. They found that patients discharged from higher-quality hospitals and patients who received care in higher-quality NHs were less likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days. They concluded that the passage of the Affordable Care Act changed the accountability of hospitals for patients' outcomes after discharge, and that their study highlights the joint accountability of hospitals and NHs for rehospitalization of patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Thomas KS, Rahman M, Mor V .
Influence of hospital and nursing home quality on hospital readmissions.
Am J Manag Care 2014 Nov;20(11):e523-31.
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Keywords: Quality of Care, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Hospital Readmissions