CMS data show eight types of HACs reported for Medicare beneficiaries in more than 4,700 hospitals from Oct. 2008-June 2010. The eight measures, chosen for their high costs and frequency, include catheter-induced blood and urinary tract infections, falls and other injuries, blood transfusions with incompatible blood, bed sores, injuries from gas bubbles in blood vessels, retained objects and poor blood sugar.
The most common HAC reported was injury from a fall or other trauma: Over 70 percent of hospitals reported at least one. These injuries occurred once for every 2,000 discharges. Blood or urinary tract infection occurred once for every 3,300 discharges.
CMS is collaborating with the Hospital Quality Alliance to improve HAC data access and comprehension for the public, and will work with the Quality Improvement Organization to provide hospitals with resources to reduce HACs.
Although CMS considers HACs to be preventable using evidence-based medicine, not every HAC represents a medical error. Furthermore, the numbers are not adjusted for hospitals’ patient populations or case mix.
Read the CMS release on hospital-acquired conditions.
Read more coverage on patient safety:
– CMS Releases Hospital-Acquired Conditions Data
– Study: Hospital Errors Occurring 10 Times More Than Previously Detected
