The rate of cardiology follow-up visits has increased, though racial disparities still exist, according to a study published Aug. 6 in The Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed Medicare data from patients who were hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction or heart failure between 2010 and 2019.
The study aimed to uncover trends or disparities in follow-up visit rates using 1,678,088 acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations and 4,245,665 heart failure hospitalizations. Only cardiac follow-up visits that occurred within 30 days of hospital discharge were included.
Between 2010 to 2019, the rate of follow-up visits increased from 48.3% to 61.4% for patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and from 35.2% to 48.3% for patients hospitalized with heart failure.
Researchers found the largest racial disparities between Black and white patients. The follow-up rate for acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations in 2019 was 51.9% for Black patients and 59.8% for white patients. The follow-up rates for Black and white patients hospitalized for heart failure were 39.8% and 48.7%, respectively.
One limitation of the study is generalizing Medicare data to other payer types.
"Timely follow-up after cardiovascular hospitalization is recommended to monitor recovery, titrate medications, and coordinate care," the study authors wrote. "Equity-informed policy and health system strategies are needed to further reduce gaps in follow-up care."