Assessment of Rural-Urban Differences in Postacute Care Utilization and Outcomes Among Older US Adults

Abstract

These findings suggest that rates of discharge to the community and postacute care settings were similar among patients from rural and urban counties. Rural-urban differences in mortality following discharge were much larger for patients receiving postacute care compared with patients discharged to the community setting. Improving postacute care in rural areas may reduce rural-urban disparities in patient outcomes.