According to the report, the numbers indicate an industry-wide shift towards outpatient surgery, as technological developments allow cases to move from the hospital setting to the ambulatory setting.
The growth in outpatient surgery volume was coupled with a decline in inpatient admissions in 2010. D.C.’s eight general-purpose, acute-care hospitals recorded a combined 4 percent decline in admissions and total patient days. The greatest drop in inpatient admissions occurred at United Medical Center, where admissions were down 8.7 percent in 2010 compared to 2009. Children’s National Medical Center saw a 6.2 percent drop over the previous year, while Washington Hospital Center saw a 6 percent drop.
Read the Washington Business Journal report on outpatient surgery volume.
Related Articles on Outpatient Surgery Volume:
Outpatient Volume Increases for HCA
The Ambulatory Surgery Center Industry: Evolution and Future
8 Ways ASCs Can Achieve Success in 2011 and Beyond
