Hospital Financial Structure and Unplanned Rehospitalization Following Acute Myocardial Infarction in the United States
Authors' conclusion
For-profit status was associated with higher 30-day nonelective readmission rates and greater odds of renal and respiratory complications at readmission and nonhome discharge. These findings may inform policies addressing ownership-related disparities in AMI care.
Study context
- Population
- Adult nonelective acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalizations in the United States, 2013 to 2022, stratified by hospital ownershipAMI admissions, 534,576 (11.5%) had an unplanned 30-day readmission, 399,800 patients readmitted to the index hospital, of whom 66,394 (16.6%) were treated at for-profit facilities
- Participants
- 4,636,970 hospitalizations
- Exposure
- For-profit vs not-for-profit hospital ownership
- Outcome
- Unplanned 30-day readmission
- Follow-up
- 30 days
Methodological detailsdoubly robust methodology, Cuzick nonparametric test for temporal trends
- Doubly robust methodology
- Cuzick nonparametric test for temporal trends
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
AMI admissions with an unplanned 30-day readmission
534,576
11.5%
Of the 399,800 patients readmitted to the index hospital, treated at for-profit facilities
66,394
16.6%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | For-profit | Not-for-profit | AOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readmission rate trend over the study period · 2013 to 2022 | 13.0% to 12.7% | 11.5% to 10.5% | |
| P | P = 0.09 | P < 0.001 | |
| Adjusted outcomes, for-profit status30-day nonelective readmission · Following risk adjustment | 1.15 | ||
| Adjusted outcomes, for-profit statusRespiratory complications at readmission · Following risk adjustment | 1.11 | ||
| Adjusted outcomes, for-profit statusRenal complications at readmission · Following risk adjustment | 1.04 | ||
| Adjusted outcomes, for-profit statusNonhome discharge · Following risk adjustment | 1.07 |
Rate reductions at for-profit hospitals by subgroup
- Rate reductions at for-profit hospitals were limited to Medicare beneficiaries and coronary artery bypass grafting patients
Original publication
Hospital Financial Structure and Unplanned Rehospitalization Following Acute Myocardial Infarction in the United States. JACC Adv. Published 10 September 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it