Racial and socioeconomic disparities in incidence of hospital-acquired complications following cerebrovascular procedures.

Abstract

Patients with cerebrovascular disease undergo complex surgical procedures, often requiring prolonged inpatient hospitalization. Previous studies have demonstrated associations between racial/demographic factors and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing cerebrovascular procedures (CVPs). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have published a series of 11 hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) deemed "reasonably preventable" for which related costs of treatment are not reimbursed. We hypothesize that race and payer status disparities impact HAC frequency in patients undergoing CVPs and that HAC incidence is associated with length of stay and hospital costs.