How hospital mergers, openings, and closures affect heart attack and stroke care
The Effects of Changing Health Care Markets on Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Care and Outcomes
['FUNDING_R01'] · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · NIH-11181319
Looking at whether changes in hospital ownership and emergency department openings or closings affect timely, high-quality care for people with heart attacks and strokes.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11181319 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you have a heart attack or stroke, this work will examine how hospital mergers, acquisitions, and the opening or closing of emergency departments and hospitals change where and how you get care. Researchers will use hospital records, patient outcomes, transfer patterns, and maps of facilities to track changes over time and link them to treatments such as rapid reperfusion and survival. The team will compare hospitals that were acquired or closed with those that were not to see whether market-driven changes improve specialty services or reduce local access. Findings are meant to show which kinds of market changes help patients get timely life-saving treatment and which may create gaps in care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People treated for acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) or acute stroke, especially those who received care at hospitals experiencing mergers, acquisitions, openings, or closures, are most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular conditions or those treated outside the U.S. or outside the hospitals and time periods studied may not directly benefit from the findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to policies and hospital practices that protect or improve timely heart attack and stroke care in communities.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research on hospital closures and consolidation has shown mixed results, with some studies finding worse outcomes after closures and others showing improvements after targeted investments, so this project builds on and expands that evidence.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ZACHRISON, KORILYN SAUSER — MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- Study coordinator: ZACHRISON, KORILYN SAUSER
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.