Hospital segregation, critical care strain, and inpatient mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City

What is it about?

Based on all-payer New York City hospital discharge data, we found that safety-net hospitals, defined as hospitals serving a high proportion of Medicaid and uninsured patients in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced greater critical care strain and substantially higher rates of inpatient mortality during the first COVID-19 wave. Additionally, we found that critical care strain was positively associated with inpatient mortality in a multivariable regression analysis. Together, these findings are consistent with hospital segregation as a potential driver of COVID-related mortality inequities and highlight the need to desegregate health care to address structural racism, advance health equity, and improve pandemic resiliency.

Featured Image

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Most of the previous studies of hospital outcomes in NYC during the COVID-19 pandemic are based on data or reports from public hospitals. This population-level analysis across all hospitals complements existing studies and underscores the importance of desegregating care and strengthening support for the safety-net system in the promotion of health.