Letter by Khan et al regarding article, 'Hospital-level variation in mortality and rehospitalization for Medicare beneficiaries with acute ischemic stroke'

Response: We appreciate the interest of Dr Kahn and colleagues1 in our recent publication on hospital-level variation in mortality and rehospitalization after acute ischemic stroke among Medicare patients.2 The authors call attention to potential differences in mortality and rehospitalization rates for patients with acute ischemic stroke in the United States compared with the United Kingdom and other countries outside the United States. It is important to note that our study reported outcomes only for fee-for-service Medicare patients aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke. Because age is a major risk factor for both death and rehospitalization after ischemic stroke, the event rates from our study cannot be reliably compared with other studies that include patients with …