Date of Conferral

8-11-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

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

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

Kourtney Nieves

Abstract

Thirty-day readmissions following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain a significant challenge for health care organizations due to increased health care utilization, costs, and adverse patient outcomes. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify effective operational strategies for reducing 30-day readmissions among patients with AMI in the Southeast United States. An integrative review of literature published between 2019 and 2026 was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, MEDLINE/PubMed, UAB Lister Hill Library, Walden Library, Scopus, American Heart Association, and Google Scholar. Twenty-five articles were appraised using the Johns Hopkins appraisal process, and 15 studies meeting quality and relevance criteria were synthesized using thematic analysis guided by Donabedian’s structure–process–outcome framework. Seven themes and 22 subthemes emerged from the literature, including comprehensive transitional care bundles, medication management, equity and social determinants of health, patient acuity stratification, and data-driven targeting. Findings demonstrated that integrated transitional care strategies were more effective than isolated interventions in reducing readmissions. Effective subtheme approaches included discharge planning, coordinated follow-up, patient education, medication reconciliation, and risk-based care coordination. Reducing 30-day AMI readmissions requires coordinated, patient-centered strategies that address both clinical and social determinants of health. Findings support standardized transitional care processes, equity-focused interventions, and data-driven care coordination improve outcomes and reduce avoidable hospital utilization.

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