Effect of hospital referral networks on patient readmissions

Daniele Mascia, Federica Angeli, Fausto Di Vincenzo

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo in rivistaArticolo in rivista

19 Citazioni (Scopus)

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that referral networks encompass important mechanisms of coordination and integration among hospitals, which enhance numerous organizational-level benefits, such as productivity, efficiency, and quality of care. The present study advances previous research by demonstrating how hospital referral networks influence patient readmissions. Data include 360,697 hospitalization events within a regional community of hospitals in the Italian National Health Service. Multilevel hierarchical regression analysis tests the impacts of referral networks' structural characteristics on patient hospital readmissions. The results demonstrate that organizational centrality in the overall referral network and ego-network density have opposing effects on the likelihood of readmission events within hospitals; greater centrality is negatively associated with readmissions, whereas greater ego-network density increases the likelihood of readmission events. Our findings support the (re)organization of healthcare systems and provide important indications for policymakers and practitioners.
Lingua originaleEnglish
pagine (da-a)113-121
Numero di pagine9
RivistaSOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
Volume132
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2015
Pubblicato esternamente

Keywords

  • evidence-based medicine
  • social capital
  • social network analysis

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