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Yang MT, Temkin-Greener H, Veazie P, Cai S. Home Health Quality among Hospitalized Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia: Association with Race/Ethnicity and Dual Eligibility before and during the COVID Pandemic. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2024; 25:105057. [PMID: 38843869 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES During the COVID-19 pandemic, home health agencies (HHAs) discharges following acute hospitalizations increased. This study examined whether racial and ethnic minoritized and socioeconomically disadvantaged patients (ie, Medicare-Medicaid dual-eligible) were differentially discharged to below-average quality HHAs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We focused on post-acute patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), who are generally frail and have high care needs. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS We linked 2019 to 2021 Medicare data with Area Deprivation Index (ADI), Home Health Compare, and COVID-19 infection data. We included Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD who were hospitalized for non-COVID-19 conditions and discharged to HHAs between January 2019 and November 2021. The final analytical sample included 426,766 qualified hospitalization events. METHODS The outcome variable was whether a patient received care from a below-average quality HHA, defined by an average Quality of Patient Care Star Rating lower than 3.0. Key independent variables included individual race, ethnicity, and Medicare-Medicaid dual status. Linear probability models with county fixed effects were estimated, sequentially adjusting for the individual- and community-level covariates. Sensitivity analysis using various definitions of below-average quality HHAs was conducted. RESULTS Before the pandemic, Black and Hispanic individuals had significantly higher probabilities of discharge to below-average quality HHAs compared with white individuals (3.4 and 3.9 percentage points, respectively). Dual-eligible individuals were also 2.5 percentage points more likely to be discharged to below-average quality HHAs. During the pandemic, disparities in being discharged to below-average quality HHAs persisted among racial and ethnic minoritized patients and increased among duals. Findings were consistent with and without adjusting for individual covariates and across different definitions of below-average quality HHA. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Persistent disparities were observed in being discharged to below-average quality HHAs by race, ethnicity, and dual status. Further research is needed to identify factors contributing to these ongoing inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Ting Yang
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
| | - Helena Temkin-Greener
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Peter Veazie
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Shubing Cai
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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Li J, Jeffers T, Ogunjesa B, Raj M. Hospital Discharge Planners Need More Information When Referring Patients to Home Health Care: Insights From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. Health Serv Insights 2023; 16:11786329231211093. [PMID: 37953913 PMCID: PMC10637131 DOI: 10.1177/11786329231211093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hospital discharge planners play an important role in helping patients choose appropriate home health care. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they may not have had enough information to make the best decisions for their patients. A study of 58 discharge planners from Michigan hospitals found that 90% of them wanted information about the quality of home health agencies and whether they were prepared for COVID-19. However, only about 20% had this information readily available. The study also found that discharge planners varied in how they incorporated quality information. Some did not incorporate any quality information at all, while others provided it to patients without explaining its significance. Only about 25% of discharge planners helped patients interpret different sources of information. These findings suggest that hospital discharge planners had an unmet need for quality information, and they also provided limited assistance to patients. This may have led to some patients receiving suboptimal care. Thus, we proposed that hospital discharge planners need more information about the quality of home health agencies. Discharge planners should be more transparent about the quality of information they have, and they should help patients interpret it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Public Administration and International Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | | | - Babatope Ogunjesa
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Minakshi Raj
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
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Leland NE, Rouch SA, Prusynski RA, Shore AD, Kaufman H, Hoover LP, Mroz TM, Freburger JK, Saliba D. Implementation of US Post-Acute Care Payment Reform and COVID-19 Policies: Examining Experiences of Health System Leaders, Staff, Patients, and Family Caregivers-A Protocol. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6959. [PMID: 37887697 PMCID: PMC10606322 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20206959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
In fiscal year 2020, new national Medicare payment models were implemented in the two most common post-acute care settings (i.e., skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and home health agencies (HHAs)), which were followed by the emergence of COVID-19. Given concerns about the unintended consequence of these events, this study protocol will examine how organizations responded to these policies and whether there were changes in SNF and HHA access, care delivery, and outcomes from the perspectives of leadership, staff, patients, and families. We will conduct a two-phase multiple case study guided by the Institute of Medicine's Model of Healthcare Systems. Phase I will include three cases for each setting and a maximum of fifty administrators per case. Phase II will include a subset of Phase I organizations, which are grouped into three setting-specific cases. Each Phase II case will include a maximum of four organizations. Semi-structured interviews will explore the perspectives of frontline staff, patients, and family caregivers (Phase II). Thematic analysis will be used to examine the impact of payment policy and COVID-19 on organizational operations, care delivery, and patient outcomes. The results of this study intend to develop evidence addressing concerns about the unintended consequences of the PAC payment policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E. Leland
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; (S.A.R.); (A.D.S.)
| | - Stephanie A. Rouch
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; (S.A.R.); (A.D.S.)
- The Wolff Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Rachel A. Prusynski
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (R.A.P.); (H.K.); (T.M.M.)
| | - Amanda D. Shore
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; (S.A.R.); (A.D.S.)
| | - Hannah Kaufman
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (R.A.P.); (H.K.); (T.M.M.)
| | - Lorelei P. Hoover
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; (S.A.R.); (A.D.S.)
| | - Tracy M. Mroz
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (R.A.P.); (H.K.); (T.M.M.)
| | - Janet K. Freburger
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
| | - Debra Saliba
- Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Borun Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Chae S, Davoudi A, Song J, Evans L, Hobensack M, Bowles KH, McDonald MV, Barrón Y, Rossetti SC, Cato K, Sridharan S, Topaz M. Predicting emergency department visits and hospitalizations for patients with heart failure in home healthcare using a time series risk model. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2023; 30:1622-1633. [PMID: 37433577 PMCID: PMC10531127 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocad129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Little is known about proactive risk assessment concerning emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in patients with heart failure (HF) who receive home healthcare (HHC) services. This study developed a time series risk model for predicting ED visits and hospitalizations in patients with HF using longitudinal electronic health record data. We also explored which data sources yield the best-performing models over various time windows. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used data collected from 9362 patients from a large HHC agency. We iteratively developed risk models using both structured (eg, standard assessment tools, vital signs, visit characteristics) and unstructured data (eg, clinical notes). Seven specific sets of variables included: (1) the Outcome and Assessment Information Set, (2) vital signs, (3) visit characteristics, (4) rule-based natural language processing-derived variables, (5) term frequency-inverse document frequency variables, (6) Bio-Clinical Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers variables, and (7) topic modeling. Risk models were developed for 18 time windows (1-15, 30, 45, and 60 days) before an ED visit or hospitalization. Risk prediction performances were compared using recall, precision, accuracy, F1, and area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). RESULTS The best-performing model was built using a combination of all 7 sets of variables and the time window of 4 days before an ED visit or hospitalization (AUC = 0.89 and F1 = 0.69). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION This prediction model suggests that HHC clinicians can identify patients with HF at risk for visiting the ED or hospitalization within 4 days before the event, allowing for earlier targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sena Chae
- College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Anahita Davoudi
- Center for Home Care Policy & Research, VNS Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jiyoun Song
- Columbia University School of Nursing, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Lauren Evans
- Center for Home Care Policy & Research, VNS Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mollie Hobensack
- Columbia University School of Nursing, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Kathryn H Bowles
- Center for Home Care Policy & Research, VNS Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Yolanda Barrón
- Center for Home Care Policy & Research, VNS Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sarah Collins Rossetti
- Columbia University School of Nursing, New York City, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Kenrick Cato
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sridevi Sridharan
- Center for Home Care Policy & Research, VNS Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maxim Topaz
- Center for Home Care Policy & Research, VNS Health, New York, New York, USA
- Columbia University School of Nursing, New York City, New York, USA
- Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
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Fashaw-Walters SA, Rahman M, Gee G, Mor V, White M, Thomas KS. Out Of Reach: Inequities In The Use Of High-Quality Home Health Agencies. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:247-255. [PMID: 35130066 PMCID: PMC8883595 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Patients receiving home health services from high-quality home health agencies often experience fewer adverse outcomes (for example, hospitalizations) than patients receiving services from low-quality agencies. Using administrative data from 2016 and regression analysis, we examined individual- and neighborhood-level racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors associated with the use of high-quality home health agencies. We found that Black and Hispanic home health patients had a 2.2-percentage-point and a 2.5-percentage-point lower adjusted probability of high-quality agency use, respectively, compared with their White counterparts within the same neighborhoods. Low-income patients had a 1.2-percentage-point lower adjusted probability of high-quality agency use compared with their higher-income counterparts, whereas home health patients residing in neighborhoods with higher proportions of marginalized residents had a lower adjusted probability of high-quality agency use. Some 40-77 percent of the disparities in high-quality agency use were attributable to neighborhood-level factors. Ameliorating these inequities will require policies that dismantle structural and institutional barriers related to residential segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gilbert Gee
- Gilbert Gee, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Vincent Mor
- Vincent Mor, Brown University and Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | - Kali S Thomas
- Kali S. Thomas, Brown University and Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center
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6
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Wang J, Ying M, Li Y. Home Health Agencies With More Socially Vulnerable Patients Have Poorer Experience of Care Ratings. J Appl Gerontol 2021; 41:661-670. [PMID: 34937402 DOI: 10.1177/07334648211053859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Examine the relationships between dual eligibility and race/ethnicity characteristics of Medicare-Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs) and experience of care ratings. METHODS Analysis of 2017 national Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and matched datasets of 10,906 CHHAs. RESULTS CHHAs with higher concentrations of dual-eligible patients were less likely to have high experience of care ratings for all three domains (e.g., for care delivery, quartile 4 vs. 1: odds ratio [OR] = 0.622, p < .001); CHHAs with higher concentrations of racial/ethnic minorities generally were less likely to have high experience of care ratings in care delivery (e.g., Black: quartile 4 vs. 1: OR = 0.418, p<0.001), communication (e.g., Black: quartile 4 vs. 1: OR = 0.316, p<0.001), and specific care issues (e.g., Hispanic: quartile 4 vs. 1: OR = 0.397, p < .001). DISCUSSION CHHAs with greater concentrations of dual-eligible patients and racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to have poor experience of care ratings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjiao Wang
- Elaine Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, School of Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Meiling Ying
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, NY, USA
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Kang Y, Choi YK, Stehlik J, Nielsen JD, Reid MC. Pain in Homebound Older Adults with Heart Failure after Hospital Discharge. Home Healthc Now 2021; 39:278-285. [PMID: 34473116 PMCID: PMC9128583 DOI: 10.1097/nhh.0000000000000955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Pain is not uncommon in older adult patients with heart failure (HF) and has been identified as a risk factor for rehospitalization of homebound patients with HF. Little is known about the pain experiences and management of older adults with HF after hospital discharge. We sought to describe pain and other symptoms among homebound older adults with HF using a qualitative and descriptive approach. We conducted semistructured interviews to obtain qualitative data and used the Brief Pain Instrument-Short Form and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale to obtain descriptive data on symptom burden. We interviewed 18 participants within 10 days after hospital discharge. Participants' mean age was 75.8 ± 9.0 years; 78% were White. The mean pain score at its worst was 5.2 ± 3.1, and for pain interfering with sleep was 4.3 ± 3.41. Most participants managed pain with medications. Using thematic analysis of qualitative data, we identified three distinct categories: (1) the diversity of patients' pain experiences, (2) the diversity of pain management routines, and (3) patients' experiences with healthcare providers' pain assessment and management practices. Our findings show that homebound older adults with HF experience various pain symptoms and receive inconsistent education about how to manage pain from healthcare providers. This study supports the need for better pain assessment and education about the appropriate use of pain medications and nonpharmacologic approaches to pain control for homebound older adults with HF.
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8
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Kang Y, Sheng X, Stehlik J, Mooney K. Identifying Targets to Improve Heart Failure Outcomes for Patients Receiving Home Healthcare Services: The Relationship of Functional Status and Pain. Home Healthc Now 2020; 38:24-30. [PMID: 31895894 PMCID: PMC7678889 DOI: 10.1097/nhh.0000000000000830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of rehospitalization in the United States. Due to the complex nature of HF, the provision of Medicare-certified home healthcare services has increased. Medicare-certified home healthcare agencies measure and report patients' outcomes such as functional status, activities of daily living (ADL), and instrumental activities of daily living to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. These metrics are assessed using the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS). As a large data set, OASIS has been used to advance care quality in multiple ways including identifying risk factors for negative patient outcomes. However, there is a lack of OASIS analyses to assess the relationship between functional status and the role of other factors, such as pain, in impeding recovery after hospitalization among HF patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between functional status and pain using the OASIS database. Among 489 HF patients admitted to home healthcare, 83% were White, 57% were female, and the median age was 80. Patients who reported daily but not constant activity-interfering pain at discharge demonstrated the least improvement in functional performance as measured by ADLs, whereas patients without activity-interfering pain demonstrated the greatest improvement in ADL performance (p value = 0.0284). Tracking individual patient ADL scores, particularly the frequency of activity-interfering pain, could be a key indicator for clinical focus for patients with HF in the home healthcare setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjeong Kang
- Youjeong Kang, PhD, MPH, CCRN, is an Assistant Professor, Health Systems & Community Based Care, University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, Utah. Xiaoming Sheng, PhD, is a Research Professor, Health Systems & Community Based Care, University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, Utah. Josef Stehlik, MD, is a Professor, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah. Kathi Mooney, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a Distinguished Professor, University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Keim SK, Ratcliffe SJ, Naylor MD, Bowles KH. Patient Factors Linked with Return Acute Healthcare Use in Older Adults by Discharge Disposition. J Am Geriatr Soc 2020; 68:2279-2287. [PMID: 33267559 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Compare patient characteristics by hospital discharge disposition (home without services, home with home healthcare (HHC) services, or post-acute care (PAC) facilities). Examine timing and rates of 30-day healthcare utilization (rehospitalization, emergency department (ED) visit, or observation (OBS) visit) and patient characteristics associated with rehospitalization by discharge location. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of hospital administrative and clinical data. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS A total of 3,294 older adult inpatients discharged home with or without HHC services or to a PAC facility. MEASUREMENTS Patient-level sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Number of and time to occurrences of rehospitalization or ED/OBS visit within 30 days of hospital discharge. RESULTS Most rehospitalizations and ED/OBS visits occurred within 14 days from hospital discharge. Patients who returned within 24 hours came mostly from inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). More intense levels of PAC services were linked with higher rehospitalization risk. However, specific predictors differed by discharge location. Being unemployed, being single, and having more comorbidities were most associated with rehospitalization in those who went home with or without services, whereas patients rehospitalized from IRFs were younger, with less chronic illness burden, but greater and recent functional decline. Those discharged with HHC services had more return ED/OBS visits. CONCLUSIONS Although sicker patients were referred for more intense levels of PAC services, patients with greater chronic illness burden were still most often rehospitalized. In addition to unique patient differences, rehospitalizations from IRF within 24 hours suggest systems factors are contributory. Most return acute healthcare utilization occurred within 14 days; therefore, interventions should focus on smoothing transitions to all discharge locations. Because predictors of rehospitalization risk differed by discharge disposition, future research is necessary to study approaches aimed at matching patients' care needs with the most suitable PAC services at the right time. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:2279-2287, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan K Keim
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah J Ratcliffe
- Division of Biostatistics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mary D Naylor
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kathryn H Bowles
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Visiting Nurse Service of New York, New York, New York, USA
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10
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Home Health Agency Factors Associated With Acute Care Hospitalization and Emergency Department Use. Home Healthc Now 2020; 38:92-97. [PMID: 32134817 DOI: 10.1097/nhh.0000000000000840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We linked the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data for Home Health and the Home Health Compare data for the year 2016 to identify home healthcare agency (HHA) characteristics associated with acute care hospitalization (ACH) or emergency department (ED) use. The study cohort consisted of 9,800 HHAs. Beta regression was used to examine the association between average age, race/ethnic composition, number of skilled nursing visits, number of therapy visits, percentage of dual eligible patients, HHA ownership, HHA location, Medicare tenure, proportion of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, stroke, diabetes, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, cancer and Alzheimer disease, and ACH or ED use. After controlling for HHA-level characteristics, variations in HHAs' ACH and unplanned ED visits were found. For-profit HHAs were significantly less likely to have patients with ACH. (Odds ratio = -0.05, p = 0.020), HHAs in the Midwest, South, and West had lower odds of ACH. HHAs that serve more than 50% Black patients had significantly decreased odds (β = -0.16, p < 0.001) of ACH. A 1-unit increase in the proportion of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, COPD, stroke, heart failure, and Alzheimer disease was associated with increased odds of hospitalization. For each unit increase in the number of skilled nursing visits, the odds of ACH increased by 0.02 (p = 0.001). For-profit and nonprofit HHAs had a significant decrease in the odds of unplanned ED visits (p < 0.05). An increase in the proportion of patients with COPD was associated with increased odds of unplanned ED visits (p < 0.001). HHA characteristics are associated with hospitalization and ED use without hospitalization. These characteristics point to variation in quality of care measured by ACH and ED use.
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11
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Chen HF, Landes RD, Schuldt RF, Tilford JM. Quality Performance of Rural and Urban Home Health Agencies: Implications for Rural Add-On Payment Policies. J Rural Health 2020; 36:423-432. [PMID: 32022948 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the differences in quality performance among agencies in urban areas and those in high utilization, low population density, and all other rural areas, defined in the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA). METHODS We conducted a retrospective study using 2015 data: the Home Health Compare, the Home Health Agency Utilization and Payment Use, the Provider of Services, and the Area Health Resources Files, and a file with rural categories in BBA. The quality measures included (1) hospitalizations, (2) emergency visits, (3) patient experience, (4) composite scores for improvement in activities of daily living (ADL), (5) improvement in pain and treating symptoms, (6) preventing harm, and (7) treating wounds and preventing pressure sores. We applied weighted least squares regression. FINDINGS Among all quality measures, differences in emergency visits of the 3 rural categories from urban agencies were the largest. The adjusted mean emergency visit for urban agencies was 12.42%, with agencies in rural areas having 1.01-1.96 percentage points higher rates than urban agencies (95% CI: 0.72-1.29 for high utilization areas, 95% CI: 0.51-3.42 for low population areas, and 95% CI: 1.28-1.78 for all other areas). CONCLUSIONS The differences in the quality of care among agencies in 3 categories of rural areas were small, except for emergency visits. Given policies to reduce rural add-on payments for home health services, continued monitoring of the services provided and the quality of care by home health agencies in rural areas is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsueh-Fen Chen
- Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Reid D Landes
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Robert F Schuldt
- Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - J Mick Tilford
- Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
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12
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Dick AW, Murray MT, Chastain AM, Madigan EA, Sorbero M, Stone PW, Shang J. Measuring Quality in Home Healthcare. J Am Geriatr Soc 2019; 67:1859-1865. [PMID: 31063621 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Improving quality performance in home health is an increasingly high priority. The objective of this study was to examine trends in industry performance over time using three quality measures: a composite quality metric (Q index), an infection prevention measure (vaccination verification), and an outcome measure (hospital avoidance). DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS/MEASURES We linked Home Health Compare and Provider of Services data from 2012 to 2016, which included 39 211 observations during the 5-year study period and 7670 agencies in 2016. The Q index was developed to allow comparability over time, equally weighting the contributions of each element. After examining summary statistics, we developed three regression models stratified by ownership (for-profit/nonprofit agency) and included two constructs of nurse staffing, in addition to controlling for known confounders. RESULTS Most agencies (80.4%) were for-profit agencies. The Q index and vaccination verification improved substantially over time, but there was no change in hospital avoidance. Ownership status was associated with all three measures (P < .001). Registered nurse staffing (relative to licensed practical nurses and home health aides) was associated with higher Q index and vaccination verification (P < .001). CONCLUSION The Q index allows for assessment of trends over time in home healthcare. Ownership and nurse staffing are important factors in the quality of care. The overall home care market is driven by for-profit agencies, but their characteristics and outcomes differ from nonprofit agencies. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1859-1865, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew W Dick
- RAND Health, The RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Meghan T Murray
- Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York
| | - Ashley M Chastain
- Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York
| | | | - Mark Sorbero
- RAND Health, The RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Patricia W Stone
- Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York
| | - Jingjing Shang
- Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York
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Wang Y, Zhang Q, Spatz ES, Gao Y, Eckenrode S, Johnson F, Ho SY, Hu S, Xing C, Krumholz HM. Persistent geographic variations in availability and quality of nursing home care in the United States: 1996 to 2016. BMC Geriatr 2019; 19:103. [PMID: 30975076 PMCID: PMC6460800 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-019-1117-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Availability of nursing home care has declined and national efforts have been initiated to improve the quality of nursing home care in the U.S. Yet, data are limited on whether there are geographic variations in declines of availability and quality of nursing home care, and whether variations persist over time. We sought to assess geographic variation in availability and quality of nursing home care. METHODS Retrospective study using Medicaid/Medicare-certified nursing home data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 1996-2016. Outcomes were 1) availability of all nursing home care (1996-2016), measured by the number of Medicaid/Medicare-certified beds for a given county per 100,000 population aged ≥65 years, regardless of nursing home star rating; 2) availability of 5-star nursing home care, measured by the number of Medicaid/Medicare-certified beds provided by 5-star nursing homes; and 3) utilization of nursing home beds, defined as the rate of occupied Medicaid/Medicare-certified beds among the total Medicaid/Medicare-certified beds. RESULTS From 1999 to 2016, availability of all nursing home care declined from 4882 (standard deviation: 931) to 3480 (912) beds, per 100,000 population aged ≥65 years. Persistent geographic variation in availability of nursing home care was observed; the correlation coefficient of county-specific availabilities from 1996 to 2016 was 0.78 (95% CI 0.77-0.79). From 2011 to 2016, availability of 5-star nursing home beds increased from 658 (303) to 895 (661) per 100,000 population aged ≥65 years. The correlation coefficient for county-specific availabilities from 2011 to 2016 was 0.54 (95% CI 0.51-0.56). Availability and quality of nursing home care were not highly correlated. In 2016, the correlation coefficient for county-specific availabilities between all nursing home and 5-star nursing home beds was 0.33 (95% CI 0.30-0.36). From 1996 to 2016, the utilization of certified beds declined from 78.5 to 72.2%. This decline was consistent across all census divisions, but most pronounced in the Mountain division and less in the South-Atlantic division. CONCLUSION We observed persistent geographic variations in availability and quality of nursing home care. Availability of all nursing home care declined but availability of 5-star nursing home care increased. Availability and quality of nursing home care were not highly correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1 Church Street, Suite 200, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Qiuli Zhang
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences & Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- National Clinical Research Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Erica S. Spatz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1 Church Street, Suite 200, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Yan Gao
- National Clinical Research Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Shuang Hu
- National Clinical Research Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Xing
- National Clinical Research Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Harlan M. Krumholz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1 Church Street, Suite 200, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT USA
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Middleton A, Downer B, Haas A, Knox S, Ottenbacher KJ. Functional Status Is Associated With 30-Day Potentially Preventable Readmissions Following Home Health Care. Med Care 2019; 57:145-151. [PMID: 30531524 PMCID: PMC6358180 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beginning in 2019, home health agencies' rates of potentially preventable hospital readmissions over the 30 days following discharge will be publicly reported. OBJECTIVES Our primary objective was to determine the association between patients' functional status at discharge from home health care and 30-day potentially preventable readmissions. A secondary objective was to identify the most common conditions resulting in potentially preventable readmissions. DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1,510,297 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged from home health care in 2013-2015. Average age was 75.9 (SD, 10.9) years, 60.0% were female, and 84.2% non-Hispanic white. MEASUREMENTS Thirty-day potentially preventable readmissions following home health discharge. Functional status measures included mobility, self-care, and impaired cognition. RESULTS The overall rate of 30-day potentially preventable readmissions was 2.6% (N=39,452), which accounted for 40% of all 30-day readmissions. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the odds ratios for the most dependent score quartile versus the most independent was 1.58 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.53-1.63] for mobility and 1.65 (95% CI, 1.59-1.69) for self-care. The odds ratios for impaired versus intact cognition was 1.21 (95% CI, 1.18-1.24). The 5 most common conditions resulting in a potentially preventable readmission were congestive heart failure (23.6%), septicemia (16.7%), bacterial pneumonia (9.8%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (9.4%), and renal failure (7.5%). CONCLUSIONS Functional limitations at discharge from home health are associated with increased risk for potentially preventable readmissions. Future research is needed to determine whether improving functional independence decreases the risk for potentially preventable readmissions following home health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Addie Middleton
- Division of Physical Therapy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | | | - Allen Haas
- Department of Preventative Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
| | - Sara Knox
- Department of Physical Therapy, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
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Fout B, Plotzke M, Jung OS. Heterogeneity in Medicare Home Health Patients by Admission Source. HOME HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT AND PRACTICE 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/1084822318793882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Unlike other post-acute care settings, a large and growing share of Medicare Fee-For-Service patients are admitted to home health without a prior hospitalization or facility-based post-acute stay. Differences in home health patients by admission source have implications for standardizing measurement, and potentially payment, across post-acute care settings. We examined home health patients’ demographic, health, and utilization patterns when stratified by their admission source. We found that community-admitted patients were more likely to be dually eligible, have multiple home health episodes, have Alzheimer disease, and have suffered from depression. Noncommunity admission sources were associated with higher 30-day post home health admission hospitalization rates. These differences should be accounted for in properly incentivizing agencies to care for all types of patients appropriate for home health.
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Boling PA. Understanding Quality of Care in Medicare Home Health Agency Care. J Am Geriatr Soc 2017; 65:2557-2558. [DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Boling
- Professor of Medicine; Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond Virginia
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