Socioeconomic Diversity in Admissions to MD-PhD Programs, 2014-2019.

This cohort study of applicants to US MD-PhD programs examines the association of application outcomes with family income.

Transition From Mentored to Independent NIH Funding by Gender and Department.

This study uses National Institutes of Health RePORTER data for mentored K awards and R01-equivalent grants to all departments in US schools of medicine to characterize K-award distribution and K-to-R transition by gender and department between 1997 and 2021.

Rates of National Institutes of Health Funding for Surgeon-Scientists, 1995-2020.

Importance: Surgeon-scientists are uniquely positioned to facilitate translation between the laboratory and clinical settings to drive innovation in patient care. However, surgeon-scientists face many challenges in pursuing research, such as increasing clinical demands that affect their competitiveness to apply for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding compared with other scientists. Objective: To examine how NIH funding has been awarded to surgeon-scientists over time. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the NIH RePORTER (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results) database for research project grants awarded to departments of surgery between 1995 and 2020. Surgeon-scientists were defined as NIH-funded faculty holding an MD or MD-PhD degree with board certification in surgery; PhD scientists were NIH-funded faculty holding a PhD degree. Statistical analysis was performed from April 1 to August 31, 2022. Main Outcome: National Institutes of Health funding to surgeon-scientists compared with PhD scientists, as well as NIH funding to surgeon-scientists across surgical subspecialties. Results: Between 1995 and 2020, the number of NIH-funded investigators in surgical departments increased 1.9-fold from 968 to 1874 investigators, corresponding to a 4.0-fold increase in total funding (1995, $214 million; 2020, $861 million). Although the total amount of NIH funding to both surgeon-scientists and PhD scientists increased, the funding gap between surgeon-scientists and PhD scientists increased 2.8-fold from a $73 million difference in 1995 to a $208 million difference in 2020, favoring PhD scientists. National Institutes of Health funding to female surgeon-scientists increased significantly at a rate of 0.53% (95% CI, 0.48%-0.57%) per year from 4.8% of grants awarded to female surgeon-scientists in 1995 to 18.8% in 2020 (P < .001). However, substantial disparity remained, with female surgeon-scientists receiving less than 20% of NIH grants and funding dollars in 2020. In addition, although there was increased NIH funding to neurosurgeons and otolaryngologists, funding to urologists decreased significantly from 14.9% of all grants in 1995 to 7.5% in 2020 (annual percent change, -0.39% [95% CI, -0.47% to -0.30%]; P < .001). Despite surgical diseases making up 30% of the global disease burden, representation of surgeon-scientists among NIH investigators remains less than 2%. Conclusion and Relevance: This study suggests that research performed by surgeon-scientists continues to be underrepresented in the NIH funding portfolio, highlighting a fundamental need to support and fund more surgeon-scientists.

Temporal Trends in Childhood Household Income Among Applicants and Matriculants to Medical School and the Likelihood of Acceptance by Income, 2014-2019.

This study examines trends in childhood household income among applicants and matriculants to medical school and the likelihood of acceptance by income.

Gender Disparity in National Institutes of Health Funding Among Surgeon-Scientists From 1995 to 2020.

Importance: Surgical diseases account for approximately 30% of the global burden of disease. Gender diversity in biomedical research is critical to generate innovative patient-centered research in surgery. Objective: To examine the distribution of biomedical research funding by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among women and men surgeon-scientists during a 25-year period. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the NIH RePORTER (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools: Expenditures and Results) database for research project grants awarded to women and men surgeon-scientists who were principal investigators between 1995 and 2020. Data were retrieved between January 20 and March 20, 2022. The representation of women surgeon-scientists among academic surgeons was compared with the representation of men surgeon-scientists over time. Main Outcomes and Measures: Distribution of NIH funding to women and men surgeon-scientists was examined via 2 metrics: holding a large-dollar (ie, R01-equivalent) grant and being a super principal investigator (SPI) with $750 000 or more in total annual research funding. Statistical analysis was performed between April 1 and August 31, 2022. Results: Between 1995 and 2020, 2078 principal investigator surgeons received funding from the NIH. The proportion of women academic surgeons who were surgeon-scientists remained unchanged during this same period (1995, 14 of 792 [1.8%] vs 2020, 92 of 3834 [2.4%]; P = .10). Compared with their men counterparts, women surgeon-scientists obtained their first NIH grant earlier in their career (mean [SD] years after first faculty appointment, 8.8 [6.2] vs 10.8 [7.9] years; P < .001) and were as likely to obtain large-dollar grants (aRR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.95-1.03]) during the period 2016 to 2020. Despite this success, women surgeon-scientists remained significantly underrepresented among SPIs and were 25% less likely to be an SPI (aRR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.60-0.95] during the period 2016 to 2020). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cross-sectional study of NIH-funded surgeons suggest that women surgeons remained underrepresented among surgeon-scientists over a 25-year period despite early career success in receiving NIH funding. This is concerning and warrants further investigation to increase the distribution of NIH funding among women surgeon-scientists.

Gender, Racial, and Ethnic and Inequities in Receipt of Multiple National Institutes of Health Research Project Grants.

Importance: Diversity in the biomedical research workforce is essential for addressing complex health problems. Female investigators and investigators from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups generate novel, impactful, and innovative research, yet they are significantly underrepresented among National Institutes of Health (NIH) investigators. Objective: To examine the gender, ethnic, and racial distribution of super NIH investigators who received 3 or more concurrent NIH grants. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study included a national cohort of NIH-funded principal investigators (PIs) from the NIH Information for Management, Planning, Analysis, and Coordination (IMPAC II) database from 1991 to 2020. Exposures: Self-identified gender, race and ethnicity, annual number of NIH grant receipt, career stage, and highest degree. Main Outcomes and Measures: Distribution of investigators receiving 3 or more research project grants, referred to as super principal investigators (SPIs), by gender, race, and ethnicity. Results: Among 33 896 investigators in fiscal year 2020, 7478 (22.01%) identified as Asian, 623 (1.8%) as Black, 1624 (4.8%) as Hispanic, and 22 107 (65.2%) as White; 21 936 (61.7%) identified as men; and 8695 (35.3%) were early-stage investigators. Between 1991 and 2020, the proportion of SPIs increased 3-fold from 704 (3.7%) to 3942 (11.3%). However, SPI status was unequal across gender, ethnic, and racial groups. Women and Black PIs were significantly underrepresented among SPIs, even after adjusting for career stage and degree, and were 34% and 40% less likely than their male and White colleagues, respectively, to be an SPI. Black women PIs were the least likely to be represented among SPIs and were 71% less likely to attain SPI status than White men PIs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.21-0.41). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of a national cohort of NIH-funded investigators, the gender, ethnic, and racial gaps in receipt of multiple research project grants among NIH investigators was clearly apparent and warrants further investigation and interventions.

Racial disparities among older adults with acute myocardial infarction: The SILVER-AMI study.

BACKGROUND: Despite an aging population, little is known about racial disparities in aging-specific functional impairments and mortality among older adults hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: We analyzed data from patients aged 75 years or older who were hospitalized for AMI at 94 US hospitals from 2013 to 2016. Functional impairments and geriatric conditions were assessed in-person during the AMI hospitalization. The association between race and risk of mortality (primary outcome) was evaluated with logistic regression adjusted sequentially for age, clinical characteristics, and measures of functional impairment and other conditions associated with aging. RESULTS: Among 2918 participants, 2668 (91.4%) self-identified as White and 250 (8.6%) as Black. Black participants were younger (80.8 vs 81.7 years; p = 0.010) and more likely to be female (64.8% vs 42.5%; p < 0.001). Black participants were more likely to present with impairments in cognition (37.6% vs 14.5%; p < 0.001), mobility (66.0% vs 54.6%; p < 0.001) and vision (50.1% vs 35.7%; p < 0.001). Black participants were also more likely to report a disability in one or more activities of daily living (22.4% vs 13.0%; p < 0.001) and an unintentional loss of more than 10 lbs in the year prior to hospitalization (37.2% vs 13.0%; p < 0.001). The unadjusted odds of 6-month mortality among Black participants (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-2.8) attenuated to non-significance after adjustment for age, clinical characteristics (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.7, 1.2-2.5), and functional/geriatric conditions (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.2). CONCLUSIONS: Black participants had a more geriatric phenotype despite a younger average age, with more functional impairments. Controlling for functional impairments and geriatric conditions attenuated disparities in 6-month mortality somewhat. These findings highlight the importance of systematically assessing functional impairment during hospitalization and also ensuring equitable access to community programs to support post-AMI recovery among Black older adults.

Inequity in National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Fellowships, 2001-2020.

This cross-sectional study examines trends in number of awards and funding of general and diversity F31 predoctoral fellowships from 2001 to 2020.

Sex-Based Differences in Presentation, Treatment, and Complications Among Older Adults Hospitalized for Acute Myocardial Infarction: The SILVER-AMI Study.

BACKGROUND: Studies of sex-based differences in older adults with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have yielded mixed results. We, therefore, sought to evaluate sex-based differences in presentation characteristics, treatments, functional impairments, and in-hospital complications in a large, well-characterized population of older adults (≥75 years) hospitalized with AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from participants enrolled in SILVER-AMI (Comprehensive Evaluation of Risk Factors in Older Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction)-a prospective observational study consisting of 3041 older patients (44% women) hospitalized for AMI. Participants were stratified by AMI subtype (ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] and non-STEMI [NSTEMI]) and subsequently evaluated for sex-based differences in clinical presentation, functional impairments, management, and in-hospital complications. Among the study sample, women were slightly older than men (NSTEMI: 82.1 versus 81.3, P<0.001; STEMI: 82.2 versus 80.6, P<0.001) and had lower rates of prior coronary disease. Women in the NSTEMI subgroup presented less frequently with chest pain as their primary symptom. Age-associated functional impairments at baseline were more common in women in both AMI subgroups (cognitive impairment, NSTEMI: 20.6% versus 14.3%, P<0.001; STEMI: 20.6% versus 12.4%, P=0.001; activities of daily living disability, NSTEMI: 19.7% versus 11.4%, P<0.001; STEMI: 14.8% versus 6.4%, P<0.001; impaired functional mobility, NSTEMI: 44.5% versus 30.7%, P<0.001; STEMI: 39.4% versus 22.0%, P<0.001). Women with AMI had lower rates of obstructive coronary disease (NSTEMI: P<0.001; STEMI: P=0.02), driven by lower rates of 3-vessel or left main disease than men (STEMI: 38.8% versus 58.7%; STEMI: 24.3% versus 32.1%), and underwent revascularization less commonly (NSTEMI: 55.6% versus 63.6%, P<0.001; STEMI: 87.3% versus 93.3%, P=0.01). Rates of bleeding were higher among women with STEMI (26.2% versus 15.6%, P<0.001) but not NSTEMI (17.8% versus 15.7%, P=0.21). Women had a higher frequency of bleeding following percutaneous coronary intervention with both NSTEMI (11.0% versus 7.8%, P=0.04) and STEMI (22.6% versus 14.8%, P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults hospitalized with AMI, women had a higher prevalence of age-related functional impairments and, among the STEMI subgroup, a higher incidence of overall bleeding events, which was driven by higher rates of nonmajor bleeding events and bleeding following percutaneous coronary intervention. These differences may have important implications for in-hospital and posthospitalization needs.

Thirty-Day Readmission Risk Model for Older Adults Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Early readmissions among older adults hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are costly and difficult to predict. Aging-related functional impairments may inform risk prediction but are unavailable in most studies. Our objective was to, therefore, develop and validate an AMI readmission risk model for older patients who considered functional impairments and was suitable for use before hospital discharge. METHODS AND RESULTS: SILVER-AMI (Comprehensive Evaluation of Risk in Older Adults with AMI) is a prospective cohort study of 3006 patients of age ≥75 years hospitalized with AMI at 94 US hospitals. Participants underwent in-hospital assessment of functional impairments including cognition, vision, hearing, and mobility. Other variables plausibly associated with readmissions were also collected. The outcome was all-cause readmission at 30 days. We used backward selection and Bayesian model averaging to derive (N=2004) a risk model that was subsequently validated (N=1002). Mean age was 81.5 years, 44.4% were women, and 10.5% were nonwhite. Within 30 days, 547 participants (18.2%) were readmitted. Readmitted participants were older, had more comorbidities, and had a higher prevalence of functional impairments, including activities of daily living disability (17.0% versus 13.0%; P=0.013) and impaired functional mobility (72.5% versus 53.6%; P<0.001). The final risk model included 8 variables: functional mobility, ejection fraction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arrhythmia, acute kidney injury, first diastolic blood pressure, P2Y12 inhibitor use, and general health status. Functional mobility was the only functional impairment variable retained but was the strongest predictor. The model was well calibrated (Hosmer-Lemeshow P value >0.05) with moderate discrimination (C statistics: 0.65 derivation cohort and 0.63 validation cohort). Functional mobility significantly improved performance of the risk model (net reclassification improvement index =20%; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In our final risk model, functional mobility, previously not included in readmission risk models, was the strongest predictor of 30-day readmission among older adults after AMI. The modest discrimination indicates that much of the variability in readmission risk among this population remains unexplained by patient-level factors. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01755052.

Impact of Cost Display on Ordering Patterns for Hospital Laboratory and Imaging Services.

BACKGROUND: Physicians "purchase" many health care services on behalf of patients yet remain largely unaware of the costs of these services. Electronic health record (EHR) cost displays may facilitate cost-conscious ordering of health services. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether displaying hospital lab and imaging order costs is associated with changes in the number and costs of orders placed. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. PARTICIPANTS: All patients with inpatient or observation encounters across a multi-site health system from April 2013 to October 2015. INTERVENTION: Display of order costs, based on Medicare fee schedules, in the EHR for 1032 lab tests and 1329 imaging tests. MAIN MEASURES: Outcomes for both lab and imaging orders were (1) whether an order was placed during a hospital encounter, (2) whether an order was placed on a given patient-day, (3) number of orders placed per patient-day, and (4) cost of orders placed per patient-day. KEY RESULTS: During the lab and imaging study periods, there were 248,214 and 258,267 encounters, respectively. Cost display implementation was associated with a decreased odds of any lab or imaging being ordered during the encounter (lab adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.97, p = .01; imaging AOR = 0.97, p < .001), a decreased odds of any lab or imaging being ordered on a given patient-day (lab AOR = 0.95, p < .001; imaging AOR = 0.97, p < .001), a decreased number of lab or imaging orders on patient-days with orders (lab adjusted count ratio = 0.93, p < .001; imaging adjusted count ratio = 0.98, p < .001), and a decreased cost of lab orders and increased cost of imaging orders on patient-days with orders (lab adjusted cost ratio = 0.93, p < .001; imaging adjusted cost ratio = 1.02, p = .003). Overall, the intervention was associated with an 8.5 and 1.7% reduction in lab and imaging costs per patient-day, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Displaying costs within EHR ordering screens was associated with decreases in the number and costs of lab and imaging orders.

Care Transitions Between Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities: Perspectives of Sending and Receiving Providers.

BACKGROUND: One in four Medicare patients hospitalized for acute medical illness is discharged to a skilled nursing facility (SNF); 23% of these patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. The care transition from hospital to SNF is often marked by disruptions in care and poor communication among hospital and SNF providers. A study was conducted to identify the perspectives of sending and receiving providers regarding care transitions between the hospital and the SNF. METHODS: Hospital (N = 25) and SNF (N = 16) providers participated in qualitative interviews assessing patient transfers and experiences with unplanned hospital readmissions. Data were analyzed by a multidisciplinary coding team using the constant comparison method. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged: increasing patient complexity, identifying an optimal care setting, rising financial pressure, and barriers to effective communication. The data highlighted hospital and SNF providers' shared concerns about patient-level risk factors and escalating costs of care. The data also identified issues that separate hospital and SNF providers, including different access to resources and information. CONCLUSION: Hospital and SNF providers are challenged to meet the needs of complex patients. They are asked to establish comprehensive care plans for patients with significant medical and psychosocial issues while navigating tense relationships between health care institutions and rising financial pressures. The concerns of both hospital and SNF providers must be considered in order to develop practices that can improve the quality, cost, and safety of care transitions.

Slow Gait Speed and Risk of Mortality or Hospital Readmission After Myocardial Infarction in the Translational Research Investigating Underlying Disparities in Recovery from Acute Myocardial Infarction: Patients' Health Status Registry.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prognostic value of slow gait in predicting outcomes 1 year after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN: Observational cohort with longitudinal follow-up. SETTING: Twenty-four U.S. hospitals participating in the Translational Research Investigating Underlying disparities in recovery from acute Myocardial infarction: Patients' Health status Registry. PARTICIPANTS: Older adults (≥65) with in-home gait assessment 1 month after AMI (N = 338). MEASUREMENTS: Baseline characteristics and 1-year mortality or hospital readmission adjusted using Cox proportional hazards regression in older adults with slow (<0.8 m/s) versus preserved (≥0.8 m/s) gait speed. RESULTS: Slow gait was present in 181 participants (53.6%). Those with slow gait were older, more likely to be female and nonwhite, and had a higher prevalence of heart failure and diabetes mellitus. They were also more likely to die or be readmitted to the hospital within 1 year than those with preserved gait (35.4% vs 18.5%, log-rank P = .006). This association remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, and race (slow vs preserved gait hazard ratio (HR) = 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08-2.87, P = .02) but was no longer significant after adding clinical factors (HR = 1.23, 95% CI=0.74-2.04, P = .43). CONCLUSION: Slow gait, a marker of frailty, is common 1 month after AMI in older adults and is associated with nearly twice the risk of dying or hospital readmission at 1 year. Understanding its prognostic importance independent of comorbidities and whether routine testing of gait speed can improve care requires further investigation.

Racial Differences in Heart Failure Outcomes: Evidence From the Tele-HF Trial (Telemonitoring to Improve Heart Failure Outcomes).

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are racial differences in patient-reported health status as well as mortality and rehospitalization after hospitalization for heart failure (HF). BACKGROUND: Little is known about whether racial differences exist in patient-reported outcomes after HF hospitalization. METHODS: We analyzed data from 1,427 patients (636 non-Hispanic African Americans [45%]; 791 non-Hispanic whites [55%]) enrolled in the Tele-HF (Telemonitoring to Improve Heart Failure Outcomes) trial. Health status was measured with the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) at baseline and then at 3 and 6 months. Generalized linear mixed models and propensity score methods were used to adjust for clustering within sites and differences between races. RESULTS: Although black patients reported better adjusted health status at baseline (black vs. white difference in KCCQ summary scores was 6.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.98 to 9.46; p < 0.001), after adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidities, clinical laboratory values, and baseline KCCQ score, we detected no significant racial differences in patient-reported health status at 3 months (black vs. white difference in KCCQ score: 2.28; 95% CI: -0.84 to 5.41; p = 0.15) or 6 months (black vs. white difference in KCCQ score: 1.91; 95% CI: -1.31 to 5.13; p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with white patients, black patients with HF had better patient-reported health status shortly after HF admission but not at 3 or 6 months. Our study failed to show that black patients were disadvantaged with regard to health status after HF hospitalization. (Tele-HF: Yale Heart Failure Telemonitoring Study; NCT00303212).