Hospitals and health systems have significantly reduced hospital-acquired conditions, unplanned readmissions and healthcare-associated infections over the last 10 years, according to a report from the American Hospital Association.
The report, called Aligning Efforts to Improve Quality, shows progress hospitals and health systems have made in improving care quality over the last decade. It also looks at what conditions inhibit further care improvements and gives recommendations to policymakers and other stakeholders on ways to reduce these barriers.
Five report insights:
1. Hospitals reported 70,000 fewer unplanned readmissions from 2011-15.
2. Hospital-acquired conditions decreased 21 percent from 2010-15.
3. From 2009-14, the occurrence of central line-associated bloodstream infections dropped 40 percent.
4. Hospitals reported a 77 percent decrease in early elective deliveries (scheduled cesarean sections/medical inductions performed before 39 weeks of gestation without medical need).
5. The AHA made several recommendations for policymakers, including:
- Improving CMS hospital star ratings to demonstrate transparency and validity in methodology for patients
- Enhancing infrastructure supporting electronic clinical quality measures, which use data from EHRs
- Reviewing Medicare conditions of participation and standards to ensure they promote safety
To view the full report, click here.