Interesting...

Quote:Preliminary estimates for 2013 show a further 9 percent decline in the rate of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) from 2012 to 2013, and a 17 percent decline, from 145 to 121 HACs per 1,000 discharges, from 2010 to 2013. A cumulative total of 1.3 million fewer HACs were experienced by hospital patients over the 3 years (2011, 2012, 2013) relative to the number of HACs that would have occurred if rates had remained steady at the 2010 level. We estimate that approximately 50,000 fewer patients died in the hospital as a result of the reduction in HACs, and approximately $12 billion in health care costs were saved from 2010 to 2013.

Although the precise causes of the decline in patient harm are not fully understood, the increase in safety has occurred during a period of concerted attention by hospitals throughout the country to reduce adverse events, spurred in part by Medicare payment incentives and catalyzed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Partnership for Patients initiative led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Interim Update on 2013 Annual Hospital-Acquired Condition Rate and Estimates of Cost Savings and Deaths Averted From 2010 to 2013

My Mom's Dr. had to do a census last week. Actually called her in for a check up. He called all of his patients in and went over the medications they were taking. He asked her who prescribed this one medication. She told him he did. He left the room and grumbled a little bit. Came back and looked in her folder. He signed off on it but now is taking her off of it. He wasn't aware of it is my take or it was being duplicated with another one. I bet a lot of Dr.'s right now are cleaning up their practices.

(12-03-2014 10:30 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  Interesting...

Quote:Preliminary estimates for 2013 show a further 9 percent decline in the rate of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) from 2012 to 2013, and a 17 percent decline, from 145 to 121 HACs per 1,000 discharges, from 2010 to 2013. A cumulative total of 1.3 million fewer HACs were experienced by hospital patients over the 3 years (2011, 2012, 2013) relative to the number of HACs that would have occurred if rates had remained steady at the 2010 level. We estimate that approximately 50,000 fewer patients died in the hospital as a result of the reduction in HACs, and approximately $12 billion in health care costs were saved from 2010 to 2013.

Although the precise causes of the decline in patient harm are not fully understood, the increase in safety has occurred during a period of concerted attention by hospitals throughout the country to reduce adverse events, spurred in part by Medicare payment incentives and catalyzed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Partnership for Patients initiative led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Interim Update on 2013 Annual Hospital-Acquired Condition Rate and Estimates of Cost Savings and Deaths Averted From 2010 to 2013

Infections...particularly Staff and Mersa have been a focus of pretty much all health care facilities nationwide over the past several years. I imagine this has contributed to much of this improvement. In other words...Health Care workers have finally become adjusted to hand washing protocols.

No one can afford their deductible, so no one makes it to the hospital. They simply die at home.

You think it interesting that we try and make things better? You think this sort of thing has never happened before? I'm having to guess at why you think this is interesting

In general, we get better at most healthcare issues every year... especially the ones we focus on. CMS started focusing on HACs in 2011 after reports started suggesting that HBI's were becoming resistant to things like purell. Similar drops were noted when hospitals originally went to purell... and stopped recycling/sterilizing certain items and made them disposable... or required all providers to have flu shots and/or wear masks. I suspect the recent focus on contamination procedures for Ebola will show a similar drop in HACs for providers,

FTR, if anyone was wondering, this practice wasn't part of the ACA bill. If you think it was, there are 2000 pages for you to search through to find it. Not one single politician had anything to do with this. This was something done by CMS, which has essentially been around since the 60's doing exactly this sort of thing. It's certainly a positive thing, but it's a HUGE stretch to try and make more out of this than people 'doing their jobs', same as they always have.

Surprise surprise, fewer children died of SIDS after CMS started encouraging hospitals to teach mothers to have kids sleep on their stomach's or sides rather than backs.

Interesting

Quote:Infections...particularly Staff and Mersa

yikes