How Does Your Hospital Compare on Hospital Acquired Conditions?

Medicare now lists how hospitals compare on eight Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs) at its website.  But don’t expect to find easy-to-read summary results at this time.  The CMS Web site says it will be integrate the HACs data into the “Hospital Care Compare” web site database at some point in the future.  Currently, the results are available on a spreadsheet with nearly 27,000 records and can be downloaded here.

Data is available on the rate per 1,000 discharges for the following HACs.

• Blood infections from a catheter placed in the hospital;
• Urinary tract infections from a catheter placed in the hospital;
• Falls, burns, electric shock, broken bones, and other injuries during a hospital stay;
• Blood transfusions with incompatible blood;
• Pressure ulcers (also known as bed sores) that develop after a patient enters the hospital;
• Injuries and complications from air or gas bubbles entering a blood vessel;
• Objects left in patients after surgery (such as sponges or surgical instruments);
• Poor control of blood sugar for patients with diabetes.

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