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 DisplayedLi J
Home health agencies with high quality of patient care star ratings reduced short-term hospitalization rates and increased days independently at home.
Accurate Medicare Quality of Patient Care home health star ratings are crucial to helping patients find high-quality care, yet critics of these ratings indicate that they are not valid. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess whether using the highest-rated home health agency available in a ZIP code improves outcomes. The researchers included 1,870,080 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries using home health care from July 2015 through July 2016 in the United States. The study found that treatment by the highest-rated agencies available decreased risks of hospitalization, emergency department use, and institutionalization during the initial episode, and increased days independently at home by 2.6% or 3.75 days in the 180 days after the end of the initial episode. Treatment effects were stronger for agencies that were above-average, had 1 or more stars than the next-best agency, and nonrural residents. Effects were positive for both postacute and community-entry patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS026836.
Citation: Li J .
Home health agencies with high quality of patient care star ratings reduced short-term hospitalization rates and increased days independently at home.
Med Care 2024 Jan; 62(1):11-20. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001930..
Keywords: Home Healthcare, Quality of Care, Hospitalization, Provider Performance