Date of Conferral

2015

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Ronald Bucci

Abstract

Reducing heart failure risk standardized readmissions rates (RSRRs) continues to be a challenge in the United States. Among Medicare beneficiaries, the U.S. national rate for heart failure RSRRs is 23, and Georgia only has 3 hospitals with heart failure RSRRs that are better than the national rate. The hospital component of the chronic care model (CCM) was the theoretical framework used in this study because the model was designed to assist heath care organizations in improving chronic care outcomes. Researchers have indicated that the Hospital to Home Initiative (H2H), a national quality improvement campaign launched in 2009, is effective in reducing RSSRs. However, very little research has been conducted to determine which specific H2H strategies and categories of strategies are associated with reducing heart failure RSRRs in Georgia. The purpose of this nonexperimental, cross-sectional quantitative research study was to address this gap. The H2H Survey used in this study is a valid instrument that was previously used in a national study. Surveys were sent to 35 hospitals in Georgia participating in the H2H. A series of one-way ANOVAs were used to test the hypotheses. Key findings were as follows: (a) heart failure RSRRs were reduced when hospitals implemented the H2H, (b) the number of implemented H2H strategies was associated with a reduction in heart failure RSRRs, and (c) categories of strategies were associated with a reduction in heart failure RSRRs. These findings can be used for promoting positive social change because hospital administrators can implement changes using effective strategies to reduce both heart failure RSRRs and government penalties associated with these readmissions.

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