Report shows statewide decreases in hospital mortality, readmission
A report by an independent state agency released this week shows hospital mortality and readmission rates dropped between 2016 and 2017 across the commonwealth.
According to the Pennsylvania Health Care Containment Council (PHC4), there were declines across the state in mortality and readmission rates in such areas as heart failure, abnormal heartbeat and COPD. Compared to data from five years before, there were significant declines in nine of 15 conditions in statewide in-hospital mortality rates, encompassing respiratory failure, sepsis, kidney failure, stroke and pneumonia.
Although hospitals in Southwestern Pennsylvania were not examined on a regional basis, the report did find that in Western Pennsylvania, 30-day readmission rates were significantly higher in six conditions, the greatest being the medical management of diabetes. Hospitals in Western Pennsylvania as a whole had in-hospital mortality rates that were notably higher in nine conditions, the greatest being pneumonia.
While Western Pennsylvania does have an older population, Joe Martin, executive director of PHC4, said that wouldn’t necessarily affect the report’s findings, “since our risk-adjustment models take age into account.”
Upon the report’s release Thursday, Martin also said the decreases in readmission rates for chronic conditions were “especially encouraging.”
The four hospitals in Washington and Greene counties fared reasonably well in the report, with rates mostly not significantly different than what had been forecast. Washington Hospital’s rate of readmission or mortality for chest pain was lower than expected, to cite one example, as was Monongahela Valley Hospital’s rate for COPD. On the other hand, Washington Hospital’s mortality rate for heart attacks was significantly higher than expected, as was Monongahela Valley’s readmission rate for heart failure.
Dan Laurent, a spokesman for Allegheny Health Network, which includes Canonsburg Hospital, said reports like this one “are valuable to look at” in order to maintain and enhance the quality of care.
“We’re always looking for areas we can improve upon,” he added.