Rehospitalization in a national population of home health care patients with heart failure.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Patients with heart failure (HF) have high rates of rehospitalization. Home health care (HHC) patients with HF are not well studied in this regard. The objectives of this study were to determine patient, HHC agency, and geographic (i.e., area variation) factors related to 30-day rehospitalization in a national population of HHC patients with HF, and to describe the extent to which rehospitalizations were potentially avoidable.

Data sources

Chronic Condition Warehouse data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Study design

Retrospective cohort design.

Data extraction

The 2005 national population of HHC patients was matched with hospital and HHC claims, the Provider of Service file, and the Area Resource File.

Principal findings

The

SUBMITTER: Madigan EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3407324 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature