Of those who contracted COVID-19 in the hospital from April to September last year, about 21 percent died, according to the report.
These figures are “certainly an undercount,” as they mostly include patients aged 65 and older, and California and Florida patients of all ages, KHN reported.
At the same time, the analysis found nearly 8 percent of other Medicare patients — who didn’t contract COVID-19 — died in the hospital.
Overall, about 1.7 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were diagnosed with the virus in U.S. hospitals on average, according to a data analysis provided to KHN by James Kennedy, MD, founder of Nashville, Tenn.-based data analytics company CDIMD.
In 38 of the hospitals included in the analysis, at least 5 percent of Medicare COVID-19 cases were documented as hospital-acquired.
KHN reviewed work-safety records and medical literature and conducted staff interviews at hospitals with high infection rates. The publication concluded that hospital leaders’ slow response to the virus’s airborne nature and failure to test every admitted patient ultimately enabled in-hospital spread.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
