Contact: Joe Martin
717-232-6787 or
PHC4 ANNUAL REPORT ON HOSPITAL PERFORMANCE SHOWS IMPROVEMENT IN MORTALITY AND READMISSION RATES.
Harrisburg, PA – November 15, 2018 – A performance report of Pennsylvania hospitals shows significant statewide decreases in hospital mortality and readmission rates. Released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4), the annual report, known as the Hospital Performance Report, includes hospital-specific mortality and readmission ratings as well as volume of cases and hospital charges for patients discharged from Pennsylvaniaâs general acute care hospitals between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017 (federal fiscal year [FFY] 2017). Statewide and regional trends are also examined.
âThis report shows statewide declines in mortality and readmission rates for a number of common treatment areas. Especially encouraging are the decreases in readmission rates for chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, and abnormal heartbeat,â said Joe Martin, PHC4âs Executive Director.
Comparing the FFY 2017 results with data from FFY 2012, the report shows significant decreases in statewide in-hospital mortality rates for nine of the 15 conditions for which mortality ratings are reportedâfindings that translate to an estimated 5,308 lives saved. Readmission rates fell in 12 of the 16 conditions for which readmission rates are reported, suggesting an estimated 4,685 readmissions avoided in these 12 treatment areas.
The nine conditions showing significant declines in hospital mortality are:
- Respiratory Failure: 15.2% to 8.9%
- Sepsis: 13.8% to 9.3%
- Heart Attack â Medical Management: 9.0% to 7.6%
- Pneumonia â Aspiration: 6.4% to 5.2%
- Kidney Failure â Acute: 3.4% to 2.4%
- Stroke: 3.9% to 3.0%
- Pneumonia â Infectious: 2.4% to 1.8%
- Colorectal Procedures: 2.1% to 1.6%
- Heart Failure: 2.8% to 2.4%
None of the conditions studied shows a statistically significant increase in mortality.
The 12 conditions with significant reductions in 30-day readmission rates are:
- Heart Attack â Medical Management: 20.7% to 17.7%
- Respiratory Failure: 25.8% to 22.9%
- Sepsis: 20.3% to 18.0%
- Kidney Failure â Acute: 22.1% to 19.8%
- Pneumonia â Aspiration: 22.7% to 20.7%
- Pneumonia â Infectious: 16.2% to 14.2%
- Stroke: 13.1% to 11.5%
- Colorectal Procedures: 13.5% to 12.1%
- Heart Failure: 24.5% to 23.4%
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): 20.8% to 19.8%
- Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections: 15.9% to 15.0%
- Abnormal Heartbeat: 15.1% to 14.3%
None of the conditions studied shows a statistically significant increase in the rate of readmission.
PHC4 publishes the Hospital Performance Report in three regional editionsâSoutheastern Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, and Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Copies are free and available from PHC4âs website at www.phc4.org.
PHC4 is an independent state agency charged with collecting, analyzing and reporting information that can be used to improve the quality and restrain the cost of health care in Pennsylvania.
