The largest annual study of hospital quality in America, issued this week by HealthGrades, finds death rates among Medicare patients continue to decline. The nation’s average in-hospital mortality rate improved, on average, 7.89 percent from 2003 to 2005. The degree of improvement varied widely by procedure. For instance, your risk of dying from Pneumonia improved 17.23 percent; from Coronary Bypass Surgery, 13.59 percent; and from Pancreatitis, 24.72 percent…
The ninth annual Hospital Quality in America Study examined a staggering 41 million hospitalization records over three years for Medicare patients at more than 5,000 hospitals.
HealthGrades seeks to rate the quality of care at each nonfederal hospital to help consumers compare the quality of local hospitals. The ratings are posted free of charge on its consumer Web site, HealthGrades.com
Much improved mortality rates were recorded for the following procedures and diagnoses:
| Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair | 9.20% |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction | 4.47% |
| Atrial Fibrillation | 13.56% |
| Bowel Obstruction | 12.51% |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | 9.14% |
| Community Acquired Pneumonia | 17.23% |
| Coronary Bypass Surgery | 13.59% |
| Diabetic Acidosis and Coma | 17.05% |
| GI Bleed | 13.61% |
| Heart Failure | 11.87% |
| Pancreatitis | 24.72% |
| Pulmonary Embolism | 20.07% |
| Respiratory Failure | 0.28% |
| Sepsis | 8.65% |
| Stroke | 8.16% |
| Valve Replacement Surgery | 14.54% |