Amy J H Kind1, Christie Bartels, Matthew W Mell, John Mullahy, Maureen Smith. 1. University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and William S. Middleton Veterans Affairs Hospital-Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. ajk@medicine.wisc.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: About one quarter of rehospitalized Medicare patients are admitted to hospitals different from their original hospital. The extent to which this practice is related to for-profit hospital status and affects payments and mortality is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To describe and examine predictors of and payments for rehospitalization at a different hospital among Medicare patients rehospitalized within 30 days at for-profit and nonprofit or public hospitals. DESIGN: Cohort study of patients discharged and rehospitalized from January 2005 to November 2006. SETTING: Medicare fee-for-service hospitals throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A 5% random national sample of Medicare patients with acute care rehospitalizations within 30 days of discharge (n = 74,564). MEASUREMENTS: 30-day rehospitalizations at different hospitals and total payments or mortality over the subsequent 30 days. Multivariate logistic and quantile regression models included index hospital for-profit status, discharge counts, geographic region, rural-urban commuting area, and teaching status; patient sociodemographic characteristics, disability status, and comorbid conditions; and a measure of risk adjustment. RESULTS: 16 622 patients (22%) in the sample were rehospitalized at a different hospital. Factors associated with increased risk for rehospitalization at a different hospital included index hospitalization at a for-profit, major medical school-affiliated, or low-volume hospital and having a Medicare-defined disability. Compared with patients rehospitalized at the same hospital, patients rehospitalized at different hospitals had higher adjusted 30-day total payments (median additional cost, $1308 per patient; P < 0.001) but no statistically significant differences in 30-day mortality, regardless of index hospital for-profit status. LIMITATION: The database lacked detailed clinical information about patients and did not include information about specific provider practice motivations or the role of patient choice in hospitalization venues. CONCLUSION: Rehospitalizations at different hospitals are common among Medicare patients, are more likely among those initially hospitalized at a for-profit hospital, and are related to increased overall payments without improved mortality. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: University of Wisconsin Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatrics, National Institutes of Health.
BACKGROUND: About one quarter of rehospitalized Medicare patients are admitted to hospitals different from their original hospital. The extent to which this practice is related to for-profit hospital status and affects payments and mortality is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To describe and examine predictors of and payments for rehospitalization at a different hospital among Medicare patients rehospitalized within 30 days at for-profit and nonprofit or public hospitals. DESIGN: Cohort study of patients discharged and rehospitalized from January 2005 to November 2006. SETTING: Medicare fee-for-service hospitals throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A 5% random national sample of Medicare patients with acute care rehospitalizations within 30 days of discharge (n = 74,564). MEASUREMENTS: 30-day rehospitalizations at different hospitals and total payments or mortality over the subsequent 30 days. Multivariate logistic and quantile regression models included index hospital for-profit status, discharge counts, geographic region, rural-urban commuting area, and teaching status; patient sociodemographic characteristics, disability status, and comorbid conditions; and a measure of risk adjustment. RESULTS: 16 622 patients (22%) in the sample were rehospitalized at a different hospital. Factors associated with increased risk for rehospitalization at a different hospital included index hospitalization at a for-profit, major medical school-affiliated, or low-volume hospital and having a Medicare-defined disability. Compared with patients rehospitalized at the same hospital, patients rehospitalized at different hospitals had higher adjusted 30-day total payments (median additional cost, $1308 per patient; P < 0.001) but no statistically significant differences in 30-day mortality, regardless of index hospital for-profit status. LIMITATION: The database lacked detailed clinical information about patients and did not include information about specific provider practice motivations or the role of patient choice in hospitalization venues. CONCLUSION: Rehospitalizations at different hospitals are common among Medicare patients, are more likely among those initially hospitalized at a for-profit hospital, and are related to increased overall payments without improved mortality. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: University of Wisconsin Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatrics, National Institutes of Health.
Authors: Kevin G Billingsley; Arden M Morris; Jason A Dominitz; Barbara Matthews; Sharon Dobie; William Barlow; George E Wright; Laura-Mae Baldwin Journal: Arch Surg Date: 2007-01
Authors: Sunil Kripalani; Frank LeFevre; Christopher O Phillips; Mark V Williams; Preetha Basaviah; David W Baker Journal: JAMA Date: 2007-02-28 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Hongsoo Kim; William W Hung; Myunghee Cho Paik; Joseph S Ross; Zhonglin Zhao; Gi-Soo Kim; Kenneth Boockvar Journal: Int J Qual Health Care Date: 2015-10-15 Impact factor: 2.038
Authors: David Yu Greenblatt; Caprice C Greenberg; Amy J H Kind; Jeffrey A Havlena; Matthew W Mell; Matthew T Nelson; Maureen A Smith; K Craig Kent Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2012-10 Impact factor: 12.969