Hospital referral to skilled nursing facilities and readmission rates after heart failure or myocardial infarction

Background Substantial hospital-level variation in the risk of readmission after hospitalization for heart failure (HF) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been reported. Prior studies have documented considerable state-level variation in rates of discharge to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) but evaluation of hospital-level variation in SNF rates and its relationship to hospital-level readmission rates is limited.