Organizational, Regional, and Community Factors Determining Protocol Compliance for Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

This study examined factors determining hospital compliance to Hospital Quality Alliance's protocol for patients with myocardial infarction. Using a spatially matched sample of 132 Magnet and 264 non-Magnet hospitals, multivariate regressions determined significant hospital characteristics associated with compliance per Hospital Quality Alliance protocol. Adherence to the Hospital Quality Alliance protocols varied widely by hospital characteristics. Registered nurse staffing/bed was a key factor determining patient care quality variation. Quality of care practices such as protocol compliance should be measured and examined separately.