Talk about cause for alarm.
A recent Medicare study revealed patients at hospitals in Upstate New York and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania often get worse, instead of better, because they become victims of preventable Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs).
HACs are serious conditions that patients get during an inpatient hospital stay. They include such events as such as patient falls, infections, foreign objects being left in patients after surgery, bedsores, poor blood sugar control for diabetes, and improper blood transfusions.
According to Medicare, if hospitals follow proper procedures, patients are should not acquire these conditions. Often referred to as “Medicare Never Events”, Medicare actually refuses pay for the treatment of any of these conditions, and patients can’t be billed for them.
The findings are nothing less than startling. Below I parsed out the important statistics for several Upstate New York and Northern Tier Hospitals. The first number is the rate of HACs per 1,000 discharges at each hospital. The number is the national rate of HACs per 1,000 discharges.
In addition, Medicare provides a website that allows for head-to-head comparison of hospitals based on geographical location.
NAME OF HOSPITAL HOSPITAL RATE NATIONAL RATE
Upstate New York Hospitals
Arnot Ogden Medical Center
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.557 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.836 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.139 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.697 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
St. Joseph’s Hospital
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.296 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.296 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.296 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.296 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Corning Hospital
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.593 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.593 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.593 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Cayuga Medical Center
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.535 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.535 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Finger Lakes Health/Geneva General Hospital
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.744 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 1.488 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 1.488 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Olean Hospital
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 1.021 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.613 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 2.01 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 1.005 | 0.05 |
St. James Mercy Hospital
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.598 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.598 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.598 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Cortland Hospital
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.563 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.844 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.563 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 1.125 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Northern Tier Pennsylvania Hospitals
Robert Packer Hospital
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0.27 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.712 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.407 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.102 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0.102 | 0.05 |
Bradford Regional Medical Center
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.368 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.368 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Bloomsburg Hospital
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 1.23 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Geisinger Medical Center
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0.239 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.095 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.858 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.858 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.858 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.617 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.308 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.538 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Williamsport Hospital and Medical Center
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0.337 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.118 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.354 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.59 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0.118 | 0.05 |
Lewistown Hospital
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.537 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
Alleghany General Hospital
| FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY | 0 | 0.09 |
| AIR EMBOLISM | 0 | 0.003 |
| BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY | 0 | 0.001 |
| PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV | 0.252 | 0.135 |
| FALLS AND TRAUMA | 0.673 | 0.564 |
| VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION | 0.168 | 0.367 |
| CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI | 0.084 | 0.316 |
| MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL | 0 | 0.05 |
| Thanks for reading! _________________________________ Christina Bruner Sonsire, Esq. NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer Ziff Law Firm, LLP 303 William Street Elmira, New York 14902-1338 csonsire@zifflaw.com Office: 607.733.8866 Toll-Free: 800.ZIFFLAW (943.3529) Web: zifflaw.com |
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