A study in the journal Stroke has found that 62 percent of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for an ischemic stroke either die or are readmitted within a year, according to a report by the Heart.
Studying a population with a median age of 79.3 years, researchers found post-discharge death and rehospitalization rates varied widely among hospitals, and the institution's size or designation as a stroke center did not account for much of the variation. There was almost no variation in outcomes over the period of the study between 2003-2006.
The 30-day risk-adjusted rate for death and readmission for hospitals at the 10th percentile was 9.8 percent, compared with 17.8 percent at the 90th percentile.
The report found 71.2 percent of patients were readmitted within 30 days for a non-cardiovascular chief diagnosis, compared with 14.9 percent for cerebrovascular disease and 14.0 percent for cardiovascular disease.
Read the Heart report on readmissions or deaths of stroke patients.
Read more coverage of readmissions.
- New Payment Plan to Target Readmissions at Maryland Hospitals
- Hospital in Minnesota Cuts Readmission Rate by 44% With Pilot Program
- 5 Factors Predicting Hospital Readmissions Identified in New Studies
Studying a population with a median age of 79.3 years, researchers found post-discharge death and rehospitalization rates varied widely among hospitals, and the institution's size or designation as a stroke center did not account for much of the variation. There was almost no variation in outcomes over the period of the study between 2003-2006.
The 30-day risk-adjusted rate for death and readmission for hospitals at the 10th percentile was 9.8 percent, compared with 17.8 percent at the 90th percentile.
The report found 71.2 percent of patients were readmitted within 30 days for a non-cardiovascular chief diagnosis, compared with 14.9 percent for cerebrovascular disease and 14.0 percent for cardiovascular disease.
Read the Heart report on readmissions or deaths of stroke patients.
Read more coverage of readmissions.
- New Payment Plan to Target Readmissions at Maryland Hospitals
- Hospital in Minnesota Cuts Readmission Rate by 44% With Pilot Program
- 5 Factors Predicting Hospital Readmissions Identified in New Studies