Note: This is a rebroadcast
Visiting the hospital in a rural area can be a challenge for Medicare patients because of scattered locations and a lack of healthcare professionals. But returning to the hospital for a follow-up visit is even more difficult, from researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The report shows Medicare beneficiaries in rural settings are 19 percent less likely to receive adequate follow-up care within 30 days compared to patients in urban areas. This may lead to a higher risk of readmission and more emergency department visits for Medicare beneficiaries discharged from rural settings.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Matthew Toth, a public research health analyst from RTI International. Toth is lead author of the study and conducted the research as a doctoral student at .
