Regarding “Hospital patients no safer today than 15 years ago, Senate panel hears”: Show me the data.
The National Center for Health Statistics Discharge Survey shows inpatient hospital deaths between 2000 and 2010 declined 8% from 776, 000 to 715,000, while the number of hospitalizations increased 11%. (Hospital death rates declined overall for the period, but death rates for septicemia increased by 17%—a subject for another day).
With respect to morbidity, the CDC reports that in 2012 there was a 44% decrease in central line-associated bloodstream infections, 20% decrease in colon cancer surgical-site infections, 11% reduction in abdominal hysterectomy surgical-site infections, a 4% reduction in MRSA infections and a 3% increase in catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
Market forces drive quality and excellence.
Moultrie D. Plowden
Colleton Medical CenterWalterboro, S.C.Send us a letter
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