“Socioeconomic Status and Readmission for Heart Failure”
Hospital admissions for heart failure are on the rise in the United States. Individuals who are diagnosed with heart failure tend to be admitted to the hospital on a frequent basis. These readmissions are a burden on both patients and hospitals. Heart failure readmissions are often preventable, and are more common among older patients, non-whites, and patients with prior hospitalizations and multiple chronic conditions. Population studies indicate that heart failure patients living in low-socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods are readmitted more quickly and more often compared to patients living in high-SES neighborhoods. Patients living in lower SES areas may have limited access to primary care, which would lead to inadequate management of heart failure symptoms out-of-hospital. Meanwhile, efforts are underway at hospitals nationwide to reduce readmissions for heart failure because hospitals stand to lose up to 3% of their Medicare reimbursements due to patients who return to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Interventions to reduce readmissions for heart failure could be targeted to patients living in low-SES neighborhoods.
