The report also found that readmissions to the hospitals increased significantly, from 18.3 percent in 2002 to 19.1 percent in 2008, but the rate has leveled off since 2004.
There were 57,852 readmissions for any reason in 2008, resulting in more than $2.5 billion in charges and 350,000 hospital days.
Among surveyed conditions, respiratory failure with mechanical ventilation had both the highest 2008 mortality and readmission rates, at 29.5 percent and 27.6 percent respectively.
Read the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council’s release on Pennsylvania hospital care quality.
