New HHS data show quality improvements saved 15,000 lives and $4 billion in health spending

Hospital Readmissions Fall by 8 percent among Medicare beneficiaries

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that new preliminary data show an overall nine percent decrease in hospital acquired conditions nationally during 2011 and 2012.  National reductions in adverse drug events, falls, infections, and other forms of hospital-induced harm are estimated to have prevented nearly 15,000 deaths in hospitals, avoided 560,000 patient injuries, and approximately $4 billion in health spending over the same period.

The Affordable Care Act is also helping reduce hospital readmissions.  After holding constant at 19 percent from 2007 to 2011 and decreasing to 18.5 percent in 2012, the Medicare all-cause 30-day readmission rate has further decreased to approximately 17.5 percent in 2013.  This translates into an 8 percent reduction in the rate and an estimated 150,000 fewer hospital readmissions among Medicare beneficiaries between January 2012 and December 2013. 

These improvements reflect policies and an unprecedented public-private collaboration made possible by the Affordable Care Act.  The data demonstrates that hospitals and providers across the country are achieving reductions in hospital-induced harm experienced by patients.  

HHS will continue to accelerate delivery system reform efforts by working with nationwide partners to capitalize on these promising results so that the nation continues on the path of increasing patient safety and reducing health care costs while providing the best, safest possible care to patients.  

To view the report, please visit: http://innovation.cms.gov/Files/reports/patient-safety-results.pdf.