Turner and Mroz Examine Characteristics Associated With Home Health Care Referral After Discharge From Hospital
Posted: 2/5/2026 (CSDE Research)
CSDE Trainee Natalie Turner (Social Work), CSDE Affiliate Tracy Mroz (Rehabilitation Medicine), and Amber Sabbatini (Emergency Medicine) recently published an article titled, “Characteristics Associated With Home Health Care Referral After Discharge From Hospital.” This study used data on Medicare beneficiaries to examine individual, hospital, and community characteristics associated with institutional post-acute care vs. home health care (HHC), which is often preferred by older adults. Older age, longer length of stay, urban dwelling, and identifying as non-Hispanic White were associated with lower rates of HHC referral. Large (>400 beds), nonteaching, and safety net hospitals were associated with higher rates of HHC referral. Communities with higher percentages of racially and ethnically minoritized residents and older adults had higher rates of HHC referral. However, models explained only 13% of the variation in post-acute care referral.