The number of all-cause 30-day rehospitalizations and all-cause hospitalizations decreased more in communities where quality improvement initiatives were led by Medicare Quality Improvement Organizations than in communities without these initiatives, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers compared rehospitalization and hospitalization rates for Medicare beneficiaries in 14 communities where Quality Improvement Organizations led quality improvement initiatives with the rates in 50 communities that did not have these initiatives. The researchers studied the rates from 2006 to 2008, which is before the quality improvement intervention, and rates from 2009 to 2010, which occurred after implementation.
In the 14 intervention communities, the average rate of 30-day all-cause rehospitalizations per 1,000 beneficiaries per quarter was 15.21 in 2006 to 2008 and 14.34 in 2009 to 2010 — a reduction of 5.7 percent. In the 50 communities without the intervention, the 30-day rehospitalization rate decreased 2.06 percent, from 15.03 in 2006 to 2008 to 14.72 in 2009 to 2010. The same trend was seen with hospitalizations, with a larger decrease in the 14 intervention communities than in the 50 other communities.
However, data did not show a difference in the rate of all-cause 30-day rehospitalizations as a percentage of hospital discharges, according to the study.
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Researchers compared rehospitalization and hospitalization rates for Medicare beneficiaries in 14 communities where Quality Improvement Organizations led quality improvement initiatives with the rates in 50 communities that did not have these initiatives. The researchers studied the rates from 2006 to 2008, which is before the quality improvement intervention, and rates from 2009 to 2010, which occurred after implementation.
In the 14 intervention communities, the average rate of 30-day all-cause rehospitalizations per 1,000 beneficiaries per quarter was 15.21 in 2006 to 2008 and 14.34 in 2009 to 2010 — a reduction of 5.7 percent. In the 50 communities without the intervention, the 30-day rehospitalization rate decreased 2.06 percent, from 15.03 in 2006 to 2008 to 14.72 in 2009 to 2010. The same trend was seen with hospitalizations, with a larger decrease in the 14 intervention communities than in the 50 other communities.
However, data did not show a difference in the rate of all-cause 30-day rehospitalizations as a percentage of hospital discharges, according to the study.
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