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. 2024 Apr 10;7(4):e245692. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.5692

Table 4. Rates and Trends in Outcome Measures Among High-Quality Home Health Agencies, 2013-2019.

Outcome Parametera Interpretation Patient quality of care Patient satisfaction Both star ratings
Estimate (SE) P value Estimate (SE) P value Estimate (SE) P value
Hospitalization rate during spellb β1 Preexposure trend −0.06 (0.08) .51 −0.07 (0.07) .42 −0.07 (0.09) .49
β2 Postexposure level change −0.32 (0.17) .16 −0.35 (0.15) .10 −0.18 (0.18) .39
β3 Postexposure trend change 0.87 (0.09) .00 0.56 (0.08) .01 0.94 (0.10) .00
β1 + β3 Postexposure trend 0.81 (0.05) <.001 0.49 (0.04) <.001 0.87 (0.05) <.001
Hospitalization rate within 30 d of dischargeb β1 Preexposure trend 0.12 (0.08) .22 0.13 (0.08) .19 0.10 (0.08) .30
β2 Postexposure level change −0.01 (0.16) .94 −0.10 (0.17) .61 −0.01 (0.17) .95
β3 Postexposure trend change 0.04 (0.09) .71 −0.03 (0.09) .78 0.03 (0.09) .80
β1 + β3 Postexposure trend 0.15 (0.05) .00 0.10 (0.05) .03 0.12 (0.05) .01
Timely initiation of carec β1 Preexposure trend −0.57 (0.19) .06 −0.65 (0.22) .06 −0.45 (0.27) .19
β2 Postexposure level change 1.03 (0.41) .09 2.31 (0.48) .02 1.23 (0.58) .12
β3 Postexposure trend change −0.97 (0.23) .02 −0.79 (0.26) .06 −1.02 (0.32) .05
β1 + β3 Postexposure trend −1.54 (0.12) <.001 −1.44 (0.14) <.001 −1.47 (0.17) <.001
Improvement in ambulation β1 Preexposure trend 2.64 (0.51) .01 3.05 (0.52) .01 2.65 (0.51) .01
β2 Postexposure level change 2.65 (1.10) .09 3.38 (1.12) .06 2.81 (1.09) .08
β3 Postexposure trend change −0.72 (0.60) .32 −0.65 (0.62) .37 −0.73 (0.60) .31
β1 + β3 Postexposure trend 1.93 (0.32) <.001 2.40 (0.33) <.001 1.92 (0.32) <.001
Improvement in bed transferring β1 Preexposure trend 3.14 (0.84) .03 3.67 (0.87) .02 3.20 (0.81) .03
β2 Postexposure level change 3.54 (1.82) .15 3.44 (1.87) .16 3.54 (1.74) .14
β3 Postexposure trend change 0.17 (1.00) .87 0.30 (1.02) .79 0.13 (0.95) .90
β1 + β3 Postexposure trend 3.32 (0.53) <.001 3.96 (0.55) <.001 3.32 (0.51) <.001
Improvement in bathing β1 Preexposure trend 1.60 (0.27) .01 2.05 (0.34) .01 1.68 (0.27) .01
β2 Postexposure level change 1.35 (0.58) .10 2.11 (0.74) .06 1.60 (0.59) .07
β3 Postexposure trend change 0.37 (0.32) .33 0.31 (0.40) .49 0.28 (0.32) .45
β1 + β3 Postexposure trend 1.97 (0.17) <.001 2.37 (0.22) <.001 1.96 (0.17) <.001
a

Parameters were estimated from an interrupted time series regression model of Y = α + β1T + β2X + β3XT + ε, where t = linear time and X = post–star ratings period. The pre–star ratings period was from January 2013 to December 2015 and the post–star ratings period was from January 2016 to December 2019.

b

Hospitalization rate variables included inpatient hospitalizations, readmissions, and outpatient observational visits.

c

Timely initiation of care refers to home health spells that started within 2 days of an inpatient discharge date.