Contact: Joe Martin
717-232-6787 or
PHC4 ANNUAL REPORT ON HOSPITAL PERFORMANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN MORTALITY AND READMISSION RATES.
Harrisburg, PA – DECEMBER 1, 2020 – A performance report of Pennsylvania hospitals shows significant statewide decreases in hospital mortality and readmission ratesâa trend that mirrors previous performance reports. 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 from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 (federal fiscal year [FFY] 2019). Statewide trends are also examined.
âOnce again, this report shows statewide declines in mortality and readmission rates for a number of common treatment areas. Several conditions saw decreases in both mortality and readmission rates: Stroke, Sepsis, Kidney Failure â Acute, Heart Attack â Medical Management, and Pneumonia â Infectious,â said Joe Martin, PHC4âs Executive Director.
Comparing the FFY 2019 results with data from FFY 2014, the report shows significant decreases in statewide in-hospital mortality rates for eight of the 15 conditions for which mortality ratings are reportedâfindings that translate to an estimated 3,687 lives saved in FFY 2019. Readmission rates fell in seven of the 16 conditions for which readmission rates are reported, suggesting an estimated 1,695 readmissions avoided in these seven treatment areas.
The eight conditions showing significant declines in hospital mortality from FFY 2014 to FFY 2019 are:
- Respiratory Failure: 12.5% to 8.2%
- Pneumonia â Aspiration: 8.4% to 5.3%
- Sepsis: 11.2% to 8.7%
- Heart Attack â Medical Management: 8.2% to 6.9%
- Stroke: 3.7% to 2.8%
- Pneumonia â Infectious: 2.9% to 2.0%
- Kidney Failure â Acute: 3.0% to 2.4%
- Heart Failure: 2.7% to 2.3%
None of the conditions studied shows a statistically significant increase in mortality.
The seven conditions with significant reductions in 30-day readmission rates from FFY 2014 to FFY 2019 are:
- Stroke: 12.6% to 11.0%
- Kidney Failure â Acute: 20.7% to 19.2%
- Intestinal Obstruction: 15.0% to 13.6%
- Blood Clot in Lung: 13.1% to 11.8%
- Heart Attack â Medical Management: 19.1% to 17.8%
- Sepsis: 18.6% to 17.6%
- Pneumonia â Infectious: 16.1% to 15.4%
One of the conditions studied, Diabetes â Medical Management, shows a statistically significant increase in the rate of readmission, from 19.3% in FFY 2014 to 20.2% in FFY 2019.
The report is available on PHC4’s website at www.phc4.org. You can also link to it through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
