The data, released June 5, shows there were about 2.69 million hospital-acquired conditions among all inpatients 18 years and older in 2016, down from 2.92 million hospital-acquired conditions from the same group in 2014. The preliminary patient safety data for 2014 through 2016 continues to show a downward trend. This trend was previously reported in data from 2010 to 2014 where hospital-acquired conditions dropped 17 percent.
Overall, based on the hospital-acquired condition reductions seen in 2015 and 2016, in comparison to 2014, the agency estimates there have been 350,000 fewer medical mistakes — leading to $2.9 billion in cost savings and preventing 8,000 inpatient deaths.
The decrease in hospital-acquired conditions is part of a nationwide effort by CMS, which has encouraged hospitals to improve infection control rates and mitigate any patient safety issues.
CMS set a goal of reducing hospital-acquired conditions by 20 percent from 2014 to 2019, which would result in 1.8 million fewer hospital-acquired conditions, $19.1 billion in cost savings and 53,000 fewer deaths.
Read the full preliminary report here.
More articles on healthcare finance:
$28k: The average price healthcare will cost a family of 4 in 2018
10 recent hospital, health system outlook and credit rating actions
MedData names acting president: 3 things to know
