The Impact of 30-Day Hospital Readmissions in the United States
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Authors
Foster, Angella
Issue Date
2025-09
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Educational Leadership & Learning Lifelong , Workforce Development Needs & Industry Alignment , Healthcare Innovation & Delivery , Arthroplasty , Comorbidities , HRRP , Salient , Socioeconomic Factors , Quasiquantitative Approach
Alternative Title
Abstract
Thirty-day hospital readmission has remained a persistent challenge for patients targeted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). While no definitive consensus confirms that the CMS targeted conditions link patients identified as targeted to comorbidities and other social factors, the question remains open as to whether 30-day hospital readmission rates are associated with comorbidities and socioeconomic factors. The study analyzes data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Rehabilitation Database (NRD), three Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF), and one Home Health agency in the greater Sacramento area, and robust findings from a literature review. The purpose of the study was to analyze nationwide 30-day hospital readmissions to uncover patterns associated with the HRRP-targeted conditions and to assess how comorbidities and other factors influence these readmission rates. The study employed a quasi-quantitative methodology, conducting a comparative analysis to explore relationships among the identified variables, which were visualized in graphs. An ANOVA was executed in SPSS, following a G*Power analysis, to further clarify the outcomes. Key findings showed diverse results among patients with HRRP-targeted conditions, particularly affecting those with heart failure, older individuals with comorbidities, and various social determinants. The study calls for further research to enhance understanding of the interplay between HRRP-targeted conditions, comorbidities, and social factors. It also suggests that healthcare leaders and policymakers work together to develop strategies for CMS to reassess the criteria used to evaluate these factors pertaining to the readmission trends. Keywords: Arthroplasty, comorbidities, HRRP, salient, socioeconomic factors, quasi-quantitative approach.