Abstract 183: Factors Associated With Hospital Readmissions Following Myocardial Infarction in Southern Appalachia

Objective: Identify factors associated with readmissions following myocardial infarction. Background: The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program, implemented in 2012 under the Affordable Care Act, penalizes hospitals with higher rates of readmission, defined as admission within 30 days from prior hospital discharge, than the national average for targeted diagnoses. One of the more common causes of readmission is myocardial infarction (MI). Southern Appalachian hospitals have readmission rates for MI that exceed the national average, resulting in financial penalties for these hospitals. Methods: Retrospective chart review study evaluating readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharge following MI in medical facilities in Southern Appalachia from 2014 to 2017. Results: There were 3,913 patients admitted to hospitals in Southern Appalachia between 2014 to 2017 with an MI; of these, 439 patients were readmitted within 30 days from previous hospital discharge. Patients with length of stay (LOS) less than 2 days were 50.3% (OR 0.497