A systematic review of the magnitude and cause of geographic variation in unplanned hospital admission rates and length of stay for ambulatory care sensitive conditions

摘要

BackgroundUnplanned hospital admissions place a large and increasing strain on healthcare budgets worldwide. Many admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) are thought to be preventable, a belief supported by significant geographic variations in admission rates. We conducted a systematic review of the evidence on the magnitude and correlates of geographic variation in ACSC admission rates and length of stay (LOS).