Key result
For-profit hospitals had an average 30-day risk-standardized readmission rate 0.38 percentage points higher than public hospitals (95% CI, 0.24-0.53).
Why the study?
Are specific hospital characteristics associated with hospital-wide 30-day risk-standardized readmission rates in Medicare beneficiaries?
Cross-Sectional (n=6,789,839)
Yes
Are specific hospital characteristics associated with hospital-wide 30-day risk-standardized readmission rates in Medicare beneficiaries?
Effect estimate: Difference 0.38 percentage points (for-profit vs public) (95% CI 0.24-0.53)
Hospital characteristics such as region, profit status, and urban/rural location are modestly associated with 30-day risk-standardized readmission rates, though variability among similar hospitals is large.
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These modest observational associations should not yet change practice or policy; leaves open causal effects of ownership on readmissions.
Horwitz et al. (2017) conducted a cross-sectional in Hospital readmission (n=6,789,839). Hospital characteristics (e.g., for-profit status, region, urban/rural) vs. Other hospital characteristics (e.g., public status, different regions) was evaluated on Hospital-wide 30-day risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) (Difference 0.38 percentage points (for-profit vs public), 95% CI 0.24-0.53). For-profit hospitals had an average 30-day risk-standardized readmission rate 0.38 percentage points higher than public hospitals (95% CI, 0.24-0.53).
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