Hospitals worried about readmissions should focus on nearby nursing homes' pressure ulcer stats, stu

The rate at which nursing home residents are hospitalized bears a close relationship to how well a state provides healthcare for low-income people, according to a new report from the private research foundation The Commonwealth Fund.

The Scorecard on State Health System Performance for Low-Income Populations 2013 ranked states based on 30 indicators, including the percentage of nursing home residents hospitalized within a 30-day period and the percentage of short-stay residents rehospitalized within 30 days of discharge to a nursing home. It is the first report of its kind, according to The Commonwealth Fund.

Minnesota was the top performer for its low percent of hospitalizations within a 30-day period, at 7%. The state was the fourth best overall for providing quality care to low-income populations.

Mississippi and Louisiana ranked worst on this metric, each with a 31% rehospitalization rate. Mississippi was the lowest-ranked state overall on the scorecard, while Louisiana and Oklahoma were tied at No. 49.

Louisiana also ranked at the bottom for 30-day hospital readmissions, at 26%. At 12%, Utah led in this category. Utah ranked No. 11 overall on the scorecard.

The readmissions data was based on an analysis of 2010 Medicare enrollment data and the Medicare Provider and Analysis Review File.

In many cases, low-income populations in the top performing states receive better healthcare than high-income populations in the lowest-ranked states, the report found. Hawaii was the No. 1 state overall.

Click here to access the complete report, which was released Wednesday.