For their study, researchers from the Mayo Clinic, Tulane University, North Carolina State University and University of South Florida analyzed more than 60,000 discharges from the Mayo Clinic in 2005. They sought to find possible links between admission health status and adverse events, costs and length of stay.
The researchers found illness severity upon admission increased the risk of all types of adverse events, higher healthcare costs and length of stay. As payment methods increasingly rely on quality and efficiency metrics, the researchers suggested adjusting adverse event reporting and reimbursement incentives to account for patients’ admission health statuses.
Related Articles on Quality Reporting:
More Than Half of Wisconsin Hospitals Report Zero ICU Infections in First Half of 2011
North Carolina Passes Public Reporting Law
Healthcare Experts, Hospitals Continue to Criticize Reliability of Quality Measures
