Harvard Department of Health Care Policy, Associate Professor of Health Care Policy and Medicine, Zirui Song, presented two studies at the 2023 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting (ARM) that were selected as Best of ARM.

The first study, titled: “Changes in Hospitalization Outcomes Among Private Equity and Non-Private Equity Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” was chosen as the Best Abstract in the Medicare category. In this study, Song and colleagues examined the link between private equity (PE) ownership and patient hospitalization outcomes during the early COVID-19 pandemic as compared with before the pandemic. They used nationwide traditional Medicare inpatient data to compare mortality at PE-owned and non-PE owned hospitals. The study found that Medicare patients with COVID-19 admitted to PE-owned hospitals had a higher 30-day all-cause mortality rate than similar patients at non-PE owned hospitals. Among patients hospitalized for all other clinical indications outside of COVID-19, their 30-day mortality increased at PE hospitals relative to non-PE hospitals by about 11%. These findings raise awareness about the potential tradeoffs for quality of care and patient outcomes after PE acquisitions.

The second study, titled: “The Clinical and Economic Impact of Child and Adolescent Firearm Injuries on Survivors and Family Members,” received Best Abstract for the Child and Family health category. Co-authors included Professor of Health Care Policy Jose Zubizarreta, Assistant Director of Analysis Mia Giuriato, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Katherine Koh, and Assistant Professor of Medicine Chana Sacks. This study investigatedthe impact of nonfatal firearm injuries on youth survivors and their family members, as well as the impact of fatal childhood firearm injuries on the victims’ family members. Using 2007-2020 claims data, they matched each affected child and family member to several control subjects. Their findings indicated that child and adolescent survivors of firearm injuries experience a significant increase in psychiatric disorders, substance abuse disorders, and medical spending through one year following injury compared to the control group. Family members of survivors also faced increases in psychiatric disorders, alongside reductions in their routine health care. Parents and siblings of children who died from firearm injuries experienced substantially larger mental health effects. These findings illustrate the far-reaching effects of firearm injuries and highlight the importance of prevention.

ARM offers a forum for health services research and policy professionals to explore new research, methods, and the impact of their work on health policy and practice. The Best of ARM sessions highlight the highest quality abstracts submitted among over twenty themes presented at ARM and provide further context and discussion for the session’s attendees.

Song was similarly recognized for Best Abstracts at the 2019 ARM meeting in the Payment and Delivery System Innovations category and the 2020 ARM meeting for studies on “Social Learning and Health Care Utilization: Evidence from Spousal Health Shocks” and “Changes in Prescription Drug Spending and Utilization 8 Years into Global Payment.”

Song joins department of health care policy colleagues John D. MacArthur Professor of Health Policy and Management Joseph P. Newhouse, PhD, and Warren Alpert Foundation Professor of Health Care Policy J. Michael McWilliams, MD, PhD, as a recipient of this recognition.