An analysis of hospital admissions uncovered that “potentially preventable” hospital admissions cost Minnesotans about $2 billion in 2012.
The first analysis of the state’s 2012 hospital admissions and emergency department data reveals there were nearly 1.3 million emergency department visits that were deemed “potentially preventable.” Those numbers mean that about 2 in 3 visits were deemed preventable. As for hospital admissions, about 50,000 events could have been avoided, with a potentially preventable bill of about $373 million.
“This study shows we still have room for improvement,” said Dr. Ed Ehlinger, Minnesota’s Commissioner of Health. “Equipped with these findings, we will work with providers and community leaders to ensure patients more consistently receive the right care, in the right place at the right time.”
Potentially Preventable Events
According to the data, some of the potentially preventable events that could have been avoided under certain circumstances include:
- Better medication management
- More timely access to primary care
- Improved care coordination
- Greater health literacy
Additional findings from the data analysis found that respiratory infections accounted for 9 percent of preventable ED visits, while abdominal pain and musculosketal/connective tissue conditions each accounted for 7 percent of admissions. For hospital admissions, the majority of potentially preventable cases involved either pneumonia, heart failure and COPD.
Officials believe identifying these potentially preventable admissions is the first step in addressing the problem.
“This work requires approaches that look not just at coordinating medical care but at addressing social factors and preventing these events from happening in the first place,” said Ross Owen, director of Hennepin Health. “This Minnesota Department of Health report is an important statewide step toward understanding that opportunity.”
Dr. Silverman comments
I’d be interested in learning more about this report and exactly how they determined what caused an admission to be deemed “potentially preventable.” For example, would an issue caused by obesity be deemed preventable simply because the patient could have made better health choices? Or what about the man who comes in with a broken toe after dropping a brick on his foot. Had he been wearing steel toe boots, the accident might not have occurred. Is that preventable?
Although we don’t know exactly what goes into classifying an admission as preventable, it should be clear that doctors and patients have room for improvement. Doctors need to be clearer about medication management and patient health literacy, while patients need to do a better job of listening and following their doctor’s orders. Together, we can lower the number of potentially preventable admissions.
Related source: Health Care Finance News
