Background: Multimorbidity frequently co-occurs with behavioral health concerns and leads to increased healthcare costs and reduced quality and quantity of life. Unplanned readmissions are a primary driver of high healthcare costs.
Objective: We tested the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate care transitions program for Latino adults with multiple cardiometabolic conditions and behavioral health concerns in reducing hospital utilization and improving patient-reported outcomes.
Design: Randomized, controlled, single-blind parallel-groups.
Participants: Hispanic/Latino adults (N=536; 75% of those screened and eligible; M=62.3 years (SD=13.9); 48% women; 73% born in Mexico) with multiple chronic cardiometabolic conditions and at least one behavioral health concern (e.g., depression symptoms, alcohol misuse) hospitalized at a hospital that serves a large, mostly Hispanic/Latino, low-income population.
Interventions: Usual care (UC) involved best-practice discharge processes (e.g., discharge instructions, assistance with appointments). Mi Puente ("My Bridge"; MP) was a culturally appropriate program of UC plus inpatient and telephone encounters with a behavioral health nurse and community mentor team who addressed participants' social, medical, and behavioral health needs.
Main measures: The primary outcome was 30- and 180-day readmissions (inpatient, emergency, and observation visits). Patient-reported outcomes (quality of life, patient activation) and healthcare use were also examined.
Key results: In intention-to-treat models, the MP group evidenced a higher rate of recurrent hospitalization (15.9%) versus UC (9.4%) (OR=1.91 (95% CI 1.09, 3.33)), and a greater number of recurrent hospitalizations (M=0.20 (SD=0.49) MP versus 0.12 (SD=0.45) UC; P=0.02) at 30 days. Similar trends were observed at 180 days. Both groups showed improved patient-reported outcomes, with no advantage in the Mi Puente group. Results were similar in per protocol analyses.
Conclusions: In this at-risk population, the MP group experienced increased hospital utilization and did not demonstrate an advantage in improved patient-reported outcomes, relative to UC. Possible reasons for these unexpected findings are discussed.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02723019. Registered on 30 March 2016.
Keywords: Hispanic Americans; clinical trial; mental health; multimorbidity; patient readmission; transitional care.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society of General Internal Medicine.