HHS: Early Data Shows 9% Drop in HACs

BALTIMORE – Incidence of hospital-acquired conditions dropped 9% in 2013, preliminary federal data show.

The new report from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality estimates that the incidence of hospital-acquired conditions (HAC) was 17% lower in 2013 than in 2010, when the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services began more closely tracking readmissions from HACs.

The improvement seems to indicate continued progress in the effort to prevent conditions such as catheter-related infections, pressure ulcers, and drug-related adverse events, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said at the CMS Healthcare Quality Conference.

“Between 2010 and 2013, we reduced hospital-acquired conditions by 1.3 million events – with much of this progress coming over the last year,” Ms. Burwell said. Her agency estimates the reduced number of adverse events and preventable conditions translates to $12 billion in savings.

Next page: Biggest impact >>