HOSPITAL OWNERSHIP OF POST-ACUTE CARE - DOES IT INCREASE ACCESS TO POST-ACUTE CARE SERVICES

This study examines the relationship of hospital characteristics and a ccess to postacute care (PAC) using a comprehensive database that comb ines hospital characteristics with clinical and demographic informatio n of patients. The data was drawn from 52 hospitals in three urban are as-Minneapolis/St. Paul, Houston, and Pittsburgh-and 2,572 patients wi thin five diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). The analysis found hospital ownership of post-acute care significantly associated with use of PAC for patients discharged after hospitalization for stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We found few significant hospita l characteristics influencing use of PAC, but, as expected, for select ed DRGs, patients were more likely to receive PAC if they were dischar ged from a hospital that either owned post-acute care or sewed a high proportion of Medicare patients. In general, patient characteristics w ere more consistent predictors of post-acute care use across the DRGs studied.