sábado, 11 de agosto de 2012

Study Profiles Patients Likely To Be Readmitted to the Hospital for Congestive Heart Failure

Study Profiles Patients Likely To Be Readmitted to the Hospital for Congestive Heart Failure



A new AHRQ-funded study suggests characteristics of patients likely to be readmitted to the hospital after an admission for congestive heart failure.  Analyzing data from 14 States that participate in AHRQ’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), researchers determined that congestive heart failure patients with the strongest likelihood of readmission were: discharged against medical advice; covered by Medicaid; and had more severe loss of function and certain comorbidities such as drug abuse, renal failure, or psychoses. High readmission rates for Medicaid patients suggest that State and Federal governments should target these populations for better care coordination to reduce readmissions and health care costs, according to study authors. The study, “Congestive Heart Failure: Who Is Likely to be Readmitted?” was published in the May 31 online issue of Medical Care Research and Review. Select to access the abstract on PubMed.®
Congestive Heart Failure: Who Is Likely to ... [Med Care Res Rev. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

2012 May 31. [Epub ahead of print]

Congestive Heart Failure: Who Is Likely to Be Readmitted?

Abstract

Readmission for congestive heart failure (CHF) is the most common reason for readmission among Medicare fee-for-service patients. Yet CHF readmissions are not just a Medicare problem. This study examined who is likely to be readmitted for CHF, using all-payer hospital discharges from 14 of the states participating in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. Patients with the strongest positive association with readmission were discharged against medical advice, covered by Medicaid, and had more severe loss of function and certain comorbidities such as drug abuse, renal failure, or psychoses. Weak negative relationship between readmission and cost of index admission provides some evidence that hospitals with higher readmission rates do not systematically use fewer resources in treating patients in initial encounters. High readmission rate for Medicaid patients suggests that state and federal governments should target Medicaid populations and drug abuse treatment for better care coordination to reduce readmissions and health care costs.

PMID:
22653415
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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