Table 1

Characteristics of heart failure study population

Pre-intervention (N=834)Post-intervention (N=913)p Value
Risk scores
 e-Model (readmission risk) score, mean (SD)*25.3 (0.15)25.2 (0.16)0.80
Demographic factors
 Age, mean (SD)59.2 (11.4)57.8 (10.8)0.01
 Male, n (%)506 (60.7)504 (55.2)0.02
 Race, n (%)
  Black519 (62.4)512 (56.1)0.01
  Hispanic173 (20.7)250 (27.4)<0.01
  White133 (15.8)136 (14.9)0.59
  Other9 (1.1)15 (1.6)0.31
 Single605 (72.5)624 (68.3)0.06
 Payor, n (%)
  Medicare264 (31.6)254 (27.8)0.08
  Commercial12 (1.4)11 (1.2)0.67
  Medicaid and other558 (66.9)648 (71.0)<0.01
Clinical factors
 Pro-BNP, mean (SD)8167 (11 564)9362 (13 245)0.10
 Proportion with diabetes mellitus comorbidity†49.3%53.7%0.06
 Proportion with coronary artery disease comorbidity†45.0%38.4%0.01
 Proportion with chronic kidney disease comorbidity†41.4%42.9%0.52
Utilisation or behavioural factors
 Admitted through ED for index admission (%)717 (86.0)806 (88.3)0.15
 No. of prior inpatient admissions, mean (SD)1.47 (2.5)1.40 (2.2)0.48
 History of missed clinic visit within previous 6 months96 (11.5)86 (9.4)0.15
 History of leaving against medical advice (%)20 (2.4)15 (1.6)0.26
 Length of stay for index admission (days)6.0 (6.1)5.7 (5.3)0.41
  • *The e-Model is an EMR-derived multivariate readmission risk model generated from the following variables: age, Tabak HF mortality score, gender, marital status, payor status, number of documented home address changes, history of positive urine cocaine, history of missed clinic visits, number of hospital admissions prior to index admissions.7

  • †As defined by ICD-9 codes (see online supplementary appendix for list of codes).

  • BNP, B-type natriuretic peptide; ED, emergency department, EMR, electronic medical record; HF, heart failure.