Hospital Variation in the Use of Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging and Its Association With Downstream Testing, Interventions, and Outcomes
Safavi KC, Li SX, Dharmarajan K, Venkatesh AK, Strait KM, Lin H, Lowe TJ, Fazel R, Nallamothu BK, Krumholz HM. Hospital Variation in the Use of Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging and Its Association With Downstream Testing, Interventions, and Outcomes. JAMA Internal Medicine 2014, 174: 546-553. PMID: 24515551, PMCID: PMC5459406, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.14407.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute myocardial infarctionNoninvasive cardiac imagingDownstream testingReadmission ratesRevascularization proceduresCardiac imagingHospital variationCardiac ischemiaProportion of patientsNoninvasive imagingLower readmission ratesPrincipal discharge diagnosisCross-sectional studyCardiac biomarker testsQ4 hospitalsChest discomfortCoronary angiographyCoronary diseaseDischarge diagnosisCoronary angiogramEmergency departmentMyocardial infarctionSame hospitalCurrent guidelinesInpatient wards