For their study, researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 4,738 hospitals and Medicare beneficiaries with acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and pneumonia from 2008-2009.
The results showed CAHs were less likely to have intensive care units, cardiac catheterization capabilities and basic electronic health records. Researchers also suggested CAHs performed worse on certain processes of care for all three conditions that were examined. Patients who were admitted to CAHs also experienced higher mortality rates for all three conditions.
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The American Hospital Association has since released commentary related to the JAMA study, slamming it for “creating a distorted picture of CAHs’ overall quality.” AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock commented CAHs are designed to transfer patients who may need more aggressive treatment and patients who are healthy enough for transport to a larger hospital that may feature some of the “clinical capabilities” mentioned in the report.
“The authors of this study imply that quality can only be good if these small, multiservice hospitals also have an intensive care unit, a cardiac catheterization service and other facilities that would be rarely used in that setting,” Mr. Umbdenstock said.
Read the JAMA study about critical access hospitals and quality.
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