Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Sally Willis

Abstract

Coronary artery diseases (CAD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) represent the most common cause of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization for both Medicare and self-pay patients, which amount to nearly 2 to 4 million spent annually. The purpose of this quantitative stud ywas to identify the relationship between ED frequency among CAD and COPD Medicare and self-pay recipients 18 to 65 years within South Carolina between 2016 to 2018. The variables for this study were age and payer (independent) and ED frequency (dependent). Using a sample size of 7,689 an ANOVA Regression and t-test analyses were used to analyze data in conjunction on the Andersen model of health behavior. Results revealed a significant association between ED frequencies among COPD patients, while the ED frequency among CAD self-pay patients was nonsignificant in South Carolina. In both cases, the age and payer confounding variables had little to no effect on the relationship. The payment method used affected the ED visits for CAD patients compared in the years 2016 and 2017 versus the year 2018. Analyses revealed that payer type was significant in all years from 2016 to 2018, but payment type was not significant in 2018. The prevalence of Medicare and self-pay that patient’s align with the use of EDs services directly with payer and payment type. The study contributes to positive social change by enabling health professionals and policymakers to develop strategies to increase alternatives to ED usages, adapt patient-centered interventions, and modify existing chronic disease care strategies to minimize or prevent outcomes. Such improvements could eliminate or reduce the overcrowding in EDs in South Carolina.

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