Researchers examined Medicare enrollment claims and the Minimum Data Set for Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing homes to examine nearly 3 million discharges to more than 15,000 nursing homes from approximately 2,500 hospitals.
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Researchers found with every 10 percent increase in the fraction of patients discharged to a skilled nursing facility with which a hospital had a relationship, 30-day readmissions rates for that patient group declined 1.2 percent. Most of this gain was in the first week after discharge.
The study concluded hospital linkage with a skilled nursing facility may improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital readmissions.
