A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that black patients are more likely to be readmitted to hospitals than white patients.
The study, by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the VA Boston Healthcare System, examined 30-day readmissions after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and pneumonia using Medicare data.
The study found that black patients had higher readmission rates (24.8 percent) than white patients (22.6 percent). Patients at "minority-serving" hospitals also experienced higher readmission rates (25.5 percent) compared to "non-minority serving" hospitals (22.0 percent). Black patients from minority-serving hospitals had the highest readmission rate of 26.4 percent.
Read the abstract for "Thirty-Day Readmission Rates for Medicare Beneficiaries by Race and Site of Care."
Read more coverage on readmission rates:
- Studies Find Proactive Interventions Reduce Hospital Admissions, Readmissions
- Statewide Initiative to Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates Launches in California
- Hospitals' Key to Success Post-Reform: Managing Care to Reduce Readmissions
The study, by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the VA Boston Healthcare System, examined 30-day readmissions after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and pneumonia using Medicare data.
The study found that black patients had higher readmission rates (24.8 percent) than white patients (22.6 percent). Patients at "minority-serving" hospitals also experienced higher readmission rates (25.5 percent) compared to "non-minority serving" hospitals (22.0 percent). Black patients from minority-serving hospitals had the highest readmission rate of 26.4 percent.
Read the abstract for "Thirty-Day Readmission Rates for Medicare Beneficiaries by Race and Site of Care."
Read more coverage on readmission rates:
- Studies Find Proactive Interventions Reduce Hospital Admissions, Readmissions
- Statewide Initiative to Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates Launches in California
- Hospitals' Key to Success Post-Reform: Managing Care to Reduce Readmissions