This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
HHS: Hospital quality initiatives saved $4 billion, thousands of lives
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Preliminary data released by the Department of Health and Human Services show that hospital-acquired conditions decreased by 9% nationally in 2011 and 2012 as a result of the public-private initiative, Partners for Patients.
The full report showed almost 15,000 hospital deaths were prevented, including those attributed to adverse drug events, falls, infections and other forms of harm, saving about $3.2 billion. Additionally, the Medicare all-cause 30-day readmission rate dropped from 18.5% in 2012 to 17.5% in 2013 due to the improvements.
The harm rate was reduced from 145 harms per 1,000 discharges in 2010 to 132 harms per 1,000 discharges in 2012, which represents a cumulative total of 560,000 fewer hospital-acquired conditions in 2 years, according to the report. The estimated cumulative cost savings from the start of the Partnership for Patients program is $4.1 billion.
The press release credits policies in the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” as the driver of change.
“We are seeing a simultaneous reduction in hospital readmissions and injuries, giving patients confidence that they are receiving the best possible care and lowering their risk of having to be readmitted to the hospital after they get the care they need,” former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in the release.
The statement attributes the collaborative efforts to several organizations, along with 27 Hospital Engagement Networks listed in the full report.
“We applaud the nationwide network of hospital systems and providers that are working together to save lives and reduce costs,” Sebelius said.