During a one-week period in December, patients eligible for transfer across 95 Minnesota hospitals received nearly 15,000 more days of care than necessary. The reason? Little to no space at nursing homes and other care facilities, the Star Tribune reported Feb. 13.
The news outlet cited a survey of 95 hospitals from the state's hospital association that found patients were receiving nearly 14,622 extra days of care than necessary during the week of Dec. 11 to Dec. 17.
"Nearly 2,000 patients were stuck," Rahul Koranne, MD, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association, told the publication.
The hospital association calls it a "discharge gridlock," which comes with significant financial consequences. Hospitals pay about $2,500 for each extra patient day, translating to nearly $37 million in unreimbursed costs across Minnesota hospitals in just one week, according to the MHA.
Nationwide, workforce shortages at post-acute care facilities have been a key driver of hospital capacity strain by limiting their ability to make timely discharges.