Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Hospital Readmissions, Surgical Research / 04.09.2016
Significant Decline in Readmissions After PCI in Medicare Patients
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Christian A. McNeely, M.D.
Resident Physician - Internal Medicine
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Washington University Medical Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Prior research has demonstrated that readmission in the first 30 days after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is common, reported around one in six or seven Medicare beneficiaries, and that many are potentially preventable. Since 2000, there have been significant changes in the management of coronary artery disease and the use of PCI. Additionally, in the last decade, readmission rates have become a major focus of research, quality improvement and a public health issue, with multiple resulting national initiatives/programs which may be affecting care. Therefore, in this study, we sought to examine contemporary trends in readmission characteristics and associated outcomes of patients who underwent PCI using the Medicare database from 2000-2012.
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