Heart Attack Deaths

A new study shows that rural hospitals in one state have heart attack death rates comparable to urban hospitals when data is adjusted for such factors as patients' ages and other illnesses. Traditional comparisons show that heart attack death rates at rural hospitals are about twice as high as in urban hospitals - 14% as compared to 6.4% at urban hospitals. But when age and multiple illnesses were factored in it came about the same - 7%. Rural hospitals usually admit a different type of patient than do the urban hospitals. Those differences should be considered when comparing death rates. This study shows that rural doctors are doing a good job of deciding when a patient should be sent on to a larger hospital in a bigger city. The average age of heart attack patients admitted to rural hospitals is 82, compared to 69 in urban hospitals. The oldest and sickest patients usually want to stay in a smaller hospital in their home town or near it, rather than be transferred to the big city.