Table 3. Ambulatory Care–Sensitive Condition Hospitalizations for Medicare Beneficiaries With Chronic Conditions, According to Practice Supports and Patient and Practice Characteristics (Main Effects Model)
ACSC Hospitalization, 2008–2009
Primary care practice supports (extent of use)
    PCP communicates with patient and with other specialists about specialist care received
        Lower tercile (reference)1
        Middle tercile0.88 (0.80, 0.96)*
        Upper tercile0.81 (0.74, 0.89)
    Extent of HIT use
        Lower tercile (reference)1
        Middle tercile1.08 (0.99, 1.18)
        Upper Tercile1.07 (0.98, 1.18)
    Registry or patient list (vs none)1.00 (0.92, 1.09)
    Nurse and patient educator care management
        Lower tercile (reference)1
        Middle tercile1.03 (0.94, 1.13)
        Upper tercile1.02 (0.93, 1.12)
    Quality and performance measurement
        Lower tercile (reference)1
        Middle tercile0.98 (0.83, 1.16)
        Upper tercile1.00 (0.83, 1.22)
Patient characteristics
    HCC score (already adjusted for age, sex, and dual Medicaid eligibility)
        Lower tercile (reference)1
        Middle tercile2.18 (1.89, 2.51)
        Upper tercile5.30 (4.66, 6.04)
    ACSC hospitalization in prior year (vs none)5.78 (5.05, 6.62)
    Income (median) in ZIP code
        Lower tercile1.28 (1.16, 1.40)*
        Middle tercile1.11 (1.02, 1.22)§
        Upper tercile (reference)1
    Patient race/ethnicity
        White1
        Black1.13 (0.97, 1.30)
        Hispanic1.09 (0.85, 1.41)
        Other0.87 (0.65, 1.16)
Practice characteristics
    Revenue from Medicare (%)
        0–30 (reference)1
        31–501.16 (1.05, 1.27)*
        51–1001.17 (1.07, 1.29)
    Practice size (no. of physicians)
        1–21
        3–101.04 (0.95, 1.14)
        11–491.04 (0.93, 1.17)
        ≥500.97 (0.85, 1.11)
    Practice type
        Independent practice (physician owned)1
        Community health center0.74 (0.50, 1.08)
        Hospital-based outpatient practice/clinic0.96 (0.77, 1.19)
  • Data are odds ratio (95% confidence limits). All estimates are adjusted for all the other variables listed in the first column as well as for the urban influence codes (large metro, small metro, micropolitan, rural). All analyses were conducted in SUDAAN and accounted for clustering of patients within physicians.

  • Data Source: Linked data from the nationally representative Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) Physician Survey (2008) and Medicare fee-for-service claims for the years 2007 to 2009 for all beneficiaries for whom a physician from the HSC national survey was their usual source of care. Usual source of care was determined by the plurality algorithm for evaluation and management visits.

  • * P < .01 vs reference group, two-sided test.

  • P < .001 vs reference group, two-sided test.

  • Ambulatory care–sensitive conditions (ACSCs) examined included congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and diabetes. ACSC hospitalizations for any one or more of these conditions (combined rate) were calculated using claims for 2008 and 2009 (the numerator). The denominator for all analyses is 123,760 patients with one or more of these chronic conditions (identified in 2007–2008 claims).

  • § P < .05 vs reference group, two-sided test.

  • HCC, hierarchical condition category score; HIT, health information technology; PCP, primary care physician.