PHC4 | The Impact of Healthcare-associated Infections in Pennsylvania, 2009

The Impact of Healthcare-associated Infections in Pennsylvania, 2009 - News Release

Contact: Stephanie Suran, Communications Manager
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NEW REPORT PROVIDES FIRST LOOK AT READMISSIONS AMONG PA PATIENTS WITH HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS

Harrisburg, PA - February 25, 2011 - Among Pennsylvania patients who acquired a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in 2009, 29.8 percent were readmitted within 30 days for an infection or complication, according to a new report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). Among patients who did not contract an HAI, 6.2 percent were readmitted within 30 days for an infection or complication.

“The data suggest that if you contract an infection in the hospital, you are more likely to be rehospitalized,” said Joe Martin, PHC4’s Executive Director. “We don’t know why that is or how much the initial infection contributes to the readmission, but it may present opportunities for quality improvement and cost containment.”

Of the Medicare patients age 65 and older who acquired an infection during their hospital stay, 29.5 percent were readmitted within 30 days for an infection or complication. The estimated total Medicare payment for these readmissions was more than $24.6 million. Of the Medicare patients age 65 and older without an HAI, 8.7 percent were readmitted for an infection or complication.

Overall, of the 1,939,111 patients admitted to Pennsylvania hospitals in 2009, 23,287 (1.2 percent) contracted at least one infection during their stay. The highest percent of these HAIs were surgical site infections (24.8 percent), followed by urinary tract infections (22.2 percent), and gastrointestinal infections (17.8 percent).

Other Key Findings:

In 2009, 10,721 (1.5 percent) of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older contracted an HAI during their hospital stay. The estimated Medicare payment for these general acute care hospitalizations averaged $20,471. The estimated average Medicare payment for hospitalizations without an HAI was $6,615.
The mortality rate for patients who acquired an HAI was 9.4 percent. The mortality rate was 1.8 percent for patients without an HAI.
The average length of stay among patients who acquired an infection during their hospital stay was 21.6 days. The average length of stay for patients who did not acquire an infection was 4.9 days.

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 the free report can be downloaded from PHC4’s website at http://www.phc4.org.