Laura Coots Daras1, Melvin J Ingber2, Anne Deutsch3, Jennifer Gaudet Hefele4, Jennifer Perloff5. 1. RTI International, Waltham, MA; The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA. Electronic address: lcoots@rti.org. 2. RTI International, Waltham, MA. 3. RTI International, Waltham, MA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. 4. RTI International, Waltham, MA; Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA. 5. The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there are differences in inpatient rehabilitation facilities' (IRFs') all-cause 30-day postdischarge hospital readmission rates vary by organizational characteristics and geographic regions. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: IRFs. PARTICIPANTS: Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged from all IRFs nationally in 2013 and 2014 (N = 1166 IRFs). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We applied specifications for an existing quality measure adopted by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for public reporting that assesses all-cause unplanned hospital readmission measure for 30 days postdischarge from inpatient rehabilitation. We estimated facility-level observed and risk-standardized readmission rates and then examined variation by several organizational characteristics (facility type, profit status, teaching status, proportion of low-income patients, size) and geographic factors (rural/urban, census division, state). RESULTS: IRFs' mean risk-standardized hospital readmission rate was 13.00%±0.77%. After controlling for organizational characteristics and practice patterns, we found substantial variation in IRFs' readmission rates: for-profit IRFs had significantly higher readmission rates than did not-for-profit IRFs (P<.001). We also found geographic variation: IRFs in the South Atlantic and South Central census regions had the highest hospital readmission rates than did IRFs in New England that had the lowest rates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point to variation in quality of care as measured by risk-standardized hospital readmission rates after IRF discharge. Thus, monitoring of readmission outcomes is important to encourage quality improvement in discharge care planning, care transitions, and follow-up.
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there are differences in inpatient rehabilitation facilities' (IRFs') all-cause 30-day postdischarge hospital readmission rates vary by organizational characteristics and geographic regions. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: IRFs. PARTICIPANTS: Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged from all IRFs nationally in 2013 and 2014 (N = 1166 IRFs). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We applied specifications for an existing quality measure adopted by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for public reporting that assesses all-cause unplanned hospital readmission measure for 30 days postdischarge from inpatient rehabilitation. We estimated facility-level observed and risk-standardized readmission rates and then examined variation by several organizational characteristics (facility type, profit status, teaching status, proportion of low-income patients, size) and geographic factors (rural/urban, census division, state). RESULTS: IRFs' mean risk-standardized hospital readmission rate was 13.00%±0.77%. After controlling for organizational characteristics and practice patterns, we found substantial variation in IRFs' readmission rates: for-profit IRFs had significantly higher readmission rates than did not-for-profit IRFs (P<.001). We also found geographic variation: IRFs in the South Atlantic and South Central census regions had the highest hospital readmission rates than did IRFs in New England that had the lowest rates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point to variation in quality of care as measured by risk-standardized hospital readmission rates after IRF discharge. Thus, monitoring of readmission outcomes is important to encourage quality improvement in discharge care planning, care transitions, and follow-up.
Authors: Lisa M Knowlton; Alex H S Harris; Lakshika Tennakoon; Mary T Hawn; David A Spain; Kristan L Staudenmayer Journal: J Trauma Acute Care Surg Date: 2019-03 Impact factor: 3.313