PHC4 | Cardiac Surgery in Pennsylvania (Data: 2011-2012)

Cardiac Surgery in Pennsylvania (Data: 2011-2012) - News Release

Contact: Paul Hambke, Press Secretary
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MORTALITY, READMISSION RATES DECLINED IN 2012, SAYS NEW PHC4 CARDIAC SURGERY REPORT

Harrisburg, PA - November 6, 2013 - Statewide mortality rates for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery and the rate of readmission within 30 days continued to decline in 2012, according to the Cardiac Surgery in Pennsylvania report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4).

“The report underscores the dedication of Pennsylvania’s heart surgeons and hospitals to the healthy outcomes of their patients. Pennsylvania’s model public reporting program continues to help drive quality up,” said Joe Martin, executive director of PHC4.

The new PHC4 report presents outcomes for the 20,164 patients who underwent CABG surgery and/or heart valve surgery in the 59 Pennsylvania general acute care hospitals that performed the procedures between July 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012.

PHC4’s report displays risk-adjusted outcomes that can be used, in part, to evaluate both hospital and surgeon performance. Reported measures include risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality ratings and 30-day readmission ratings.

The new PHC4 report also covers average hospital charges and average Medicare fee-for-service payments.

Key findings of the report are:

Statewide, in-hospital mortality rates decreased 21 percent between 2005 and 2012, decreasing from 1.9% to 1.5% for patients undergoing CABG without Valve procedure.
For valve surgery patients, in-hospital mortality rates decreased between 2005, when PHC4 began reporting on valve surgeries, and 2012.
- For the Valve without CABG procedures group, there was a 23% decrease in mortality, with a drop from 3% to 2.3%.
- For the Valve with CABG procedures group, there was a 35% decrease in mortality, with a drop from 7.5% to 4.9%.
- For the Total Valve procedures group, there was a 38% decrease in mortality, with a drop from 5.2% to 3.2%.
Of the patients who underwent CABG and/or Valve Surgery in 2012, 1,462 patients (13.4%) were readmitted to the hospital for a heart-related condition within 30 days of discharge.
- Of the four procedure groups studied in PHC4’s report, patients who underwent Valve with CABG surgery were more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days (17.8%), experiencing a higher mortality rate (5.7%) and staying in the hospital longer (6.9 days) during the readmission.
- For the CABG without Valve procedures group, 30-day readmission rates decreased 13%, dropping from 13.6% in 2005 to 11.8% in 2012.
- For the Valve without CABG procedures group, 30-day readmission rates decreased 17%, dropping from 17.8% to 14.7%.
- For the Valve with CABG procedures group, there was a 7% decrease in the 30-day readmission rates, dropping from 19.2% to 17.8%.
- For the Total Valve procedures group, there was a 14% decrease in the 30-day readmission rate, which dropped from 18.4% to 15.8%.

While the new PHC4 report covers the 18-month period from July 1, 2011, to December 31, 2012, numbers used in the Key Findings are for calendar year 2012 only to facilitate comparisons with other calendar years.

Other Findings:

The total number of CABG without Valve procedures declined from 2005 to 2012. The total number of valve procedures (with or without CABG) increased slightly. CABG without Valve procedures declined 19% from 10,231 in 2009 to 8,280 in 2012. The number of total valve procedures increased 1.3 percent, going from 7,044 in 2009 to 7,137 in 2012.
The average number of CABG and/or valve surgeries performed by hospitals in 2012 continued to decline. The per hospital average dropped 9.4% from 288 in 2009 to 261 in 2012.
The average number of CABG and/or Valve Procedures performed annually by surgeons decreased 7%, from 100 in 2009 to 93 in 2012.

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. Copies of Cardiac Surgery in Pennsylvania are free and available from PHC4’s website at http://www.phc4.org.