Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

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

School

Health Services

Advisor

Cheryl Cullen

Abstract

Hospital admissions and readmissions among Medicaid patients significantly impact increased healthcare costs for the state of Louisiana and are associated with poor quality of care. The specific research problem under study was the relationships, if any, between mental health outpatient services in Louisiana, either individual therapy or home and community-based services post-hospital discharge, gender of the patient, and age of the adolescent patient with the number of hospital readmissions over 1 year. Secondary quantitative data analysis was performed using the Island Peer Review Organization Annual External Quality Review Technical Report and data from the managed care organization in Louisiana. No significant relationship was found between mental health outpatient services post-hospital discharge, gender of the patient, and age of the adolescent patient with the number of hospital readmissions over 1 year. A multiple regression model was used (age, gender, and service) and the findings were not statistically significant (F [3, 265] = 0.34, p = .80, R2 = .004). A logistic regression model (age, gender, and type of care) was conducted and, again, the findings were not statistically significant (χ2 [3, N = 269] = 1.04, p = .79). Further study is needed to help identify potential social factors contributing to hospital readmissions among adolescent patients receiving mental health outpatient services post-hospital discharge. The findings of this study have potential implications for positive social change because they provide additional information regarding hospital readmissions and mental health services among an infrequently studied population, adolescent Medicaid patients with the goal of reducing costs for the state and delivering positive outcomes for patients.

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