Appropriateness of Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Transfer: A Multicenter Study of Medicare ACO Beneficiaries.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

There is wide variation in long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) use nationwide, the most intensive and expensive post-acute care setting, although appropriateness of use is uncertain. Therefore, we examined the appropriateness and reasons for transfer in a high-use region, and how Medicare criteria for LTACH payment identifies appropriate transfers.

Design

Multicenter retrospective observational cohort.

Setting and participants

Consecutive hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries transferred to an LTACH from 2017 to 2018 from an accountable care organization in Texas.

Methods

The primary outcome was clinical appropriateness of transfer ascertained by 2 physician reviewers. We abstracted patients' characteristics and primary reasons for transfer. We exami

SUBMITTER: Schumacher RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9094673 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature