Hospital mortality rates decline
Medical conditions that can lead to readmission or mortality have shown significant decline in seven out of 10 areas reported by Western Pennsylvania hospitals over the past five years, according to a report released this week.
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, or PHC4, which follows data released by the state’s primary care hospitals, said in a 34-page report that improvements were seen in statewide in-hospital mortality rates for 10 of the 16 conditions for which mortality ratings were reported.
Statewide, the condition with the sharpest decrease was septicemia – blood poisoning – where the mortality rate decreased from 17.7 percent in 2009 to 11 percent last year.
In Western Pennsylvania hospitals, mortality rates declined for seven conditions, remained the same for six others, but rose for three – abnormal heartbeat, heart attack-angioplasty/stent and gallbladder removal-open.
Reports from the four primary care hospitals in Washington and Greene counties mirrored most of the regional trends.
According to PHC4, after accounting for patient risk, hospitals in Western Pennsylvania had a significantly higher 30-day readmission rate than the rest of the state for only one condition – abnormal heartbeat (14.9 percent in Western Pennsylvania vs. 14.2 percent statewide).
Locally, performance statistics for conditions provided by Canonsburg and Mon Valley hospitals, Southwest Regional Medical Center (now WHS-Greene) and Washington Hospital where either a higher-than-expected rate of readmission or mortality were experienced are noted:
In reporting abnormal heartbeat, only Canonsburg Hospital, which reported 69 cases, saw a higher-than-expected rate for mortality, although its readmission rate was not significantly different than expected. Canonsburg’s average hospital charge for treating the condition was $24,282.
That was followed by Mon Valley Hospital (180 cases, $21,869); Washington Hospital (455 cases at $16,672); and Southwest Regional, (35, $13,495).
For treatment of heart attack where angioplasty or a stent was used, Washington Hospital had 205 cases with a higher-than-expected rate of mortality, at an average cost of $56,872. Mon Valley had 60 cases at an average cost of $60,623, while Canonsburg and Southwest Regional had no cases.
In treating hypotension and fainting, Washington (67 cases/$12,116) saw a higher-than-expected rate of readmission, while Canonsburg (11 cases, $14,722) had a higher-than-expected mortality rate.
Of the four local hospitals, only Mon Valley experienced a higher-than-expected rate of readmissions for pneumonia-aspiration (63/$23,498).
For septicemia, Canonsburg had a higher-than-expected mortality rate for the 70 cases it saw at an average cost of $24,488. By comparison, Mon Valley had 375 cases ($29,105); Washington (570/$22,572); and Southwest (53/$16,246).
In addition to septicemia, PHC4 said other conditions showing significant mortality declines on a statewide basis between 2009 and 2014 were:
• Pneumonia-aspiration: 9.9 to 6.4 percent;
• Heart attack-medical management: 10.2 percent to 8.2 percent;
• Kidney failure-acute: 4.9 percent to 2.9 percent;
• Colorectal procedures: 2.8 percent to 1.8 percent;
• Stroke: 4.4 percent to 3.7 percent;
• Pneumonia-infectious: 2.7 percent to 2.0 percent;
• Kidney and urinary tract infection: 0.8 percent to 0.5 percent;
• Congestive Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; 0.8 percent to 0.6 percent;
• Congestive heart failure: 2.9 percent to 2.7 percent.
“Reductions in mortality and readmission rates point to the commitment that Pennsylvania hospitals have to providing quality care,” said Joe Martin, PHC4’s executive director. “A particularly noteworthy sign is the decrease in readmissions for chronic conditions such as CHF and COPD, which can be significant cost drivers.”
Mortality rates increased for two conditions during the reporting period. Hypotension and fainting moved from 0.2 percent in 2009 to 0.4 percent last year, while heart attack-angioplasty/stent was up from 1.4 percent to 1.8 percent during the reporting period.