Contact: Joe Martin
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NEW PHC4 REPORT SHOWS HOSPITAL-SPECIFIC RESULTS, INCLUDING COMPLICATION RATINGS, FOR COMMON PROCEDURES
Harrisburg, PA – August 7, 2019 – The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) released a new report today on four common procedures that includes hospital-specific ratings for outcomes such as in-hospital mortality, complications, and extended postoperative length of stay, as well as volume of cases and hospital charges. Statewide trends are also examined.
âThis report builds on PHC4âs long-standing history of reporting hospital-specific treatment results by focusing specifically on procedures commonly performed in Pennsylvaniaâs general acute care hospitals,â said Joe Martin, PHC4âs Executive Director. âMoving forward we will be able to trend these results and monitor changes in treatment outcomes,â added Martin.
The report includes results for these commonly performed procedures: knee replacement, hip replacement, spinal fusion, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures.
There were 39,269 knee replacement procedures performed in FY 2018 (July 2017 through June 2018). On average, patients stayed in the hospital 2.1 days following knee replacement. Approximately 1.5% of patients had an in-hospital complication or were readmitted to the hospital for a complication. Patients age 85 and older and black (non-Hispanic) patients had slightly higher complication rates at 1.8% and 1.7%, respectively.
Knee replacement rates varied among Pennsylvania residents. With a statewide rate of 36.7 per 10,000 residents, those age 65-84, females and white (non-Hispanic) residents were more likely to undergo knee replacement with rates of 105.0, 44.0 and 41.4, respectively. Residents living in high poverty areas were less likely to have a knee replacement at a rate of 25.3.
The number of hip replacement procedures in FY 2018 was 24,645âan 8.8% increase since FY 2016. On average, patients stayed in the hospital 1.8 days following hip replacement. Approximately 1.9% of patients had an in-hospital complication or were readmitted to the hospital for a complication. Black (non-Hispanic) patients had a complication rate of 2.5%. Patients in the youngest and oldest age groups had the highest complication rates. Patients age 18-44 and patients age 85 and older had complication rates of 3.1% and 3.3%, respectively.
The hip replacement rate among Pennsylvania residents was 22.5 per 10,000. Those age 65-84 and white (non-Hispanic) residents were more likely to have a hip replacement with rates of 57.2 and 25.7, respectively. Residents living in high poverty areas were less likely to have a hip replacement at a rate of 15.3.
There were 19,858 spinal fusion procedures performed in FY 2018âa 6.5% decrease since FY 2016. On average, patients stayed in the hospital 3.0 days following spinal fusion. Approximately 1.8% of patients had an in-hospital complication, and 2.0% were readmitted to the hospital for a complication. Black (non-Hispanic) patients had slightly higher complication rates (2.1% had an in-hospital complication, and 2.7% were readmitted for a complication). Patients age 65 and older had the highest complication rates (2.5% had an in-hospital complication, and 2.4% were readmitted for a complication).
Statewide, the hospitalization rate for spinal fusion was 17.8 per 10,000 Pennsylvania residents. The rate for those age 65-84 was 33.8. Residents living in rural counties had a higher rate than those living in urban counties (19.9 compared to 17.0). Residents living in high poverty areas were less likely to have spinal fusion at a rate of 13.2.
There were 18,379 hospitalizations for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in the 27-month period April 2016 through June 2018. The in-hospital mortality rate for CABG patients was 1.5%, a rate that has been relatively stable in recent years. Patients age 85 and older had the highest mortality rate at 4.1%. Black (non-Hispanic) patients had a mortality rate of 2.4%. Approximately 3.6% of patients were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days for a complication. Hispanic patients and black (non-Hispanic) patients had the highest rates of readmission for a complication at 6.4% and 6.0%, respectively. Approximately 3.0% of CABG patients readmitted for a complication died during the readmission.
Statewide, the hospitalization rate for CABG surgery was 9.1 per 10,000 Pennsylvania residents. The rate for those age 65-84 was 21.1. Males had a higher rate than females (14.4 compared to 4.2).
The report is available on PHC4’s website at www.phc4.org. You can also link to it through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
PHC4 is an independent state agency charged with collecting, analyzing and reporting information that can be used to improve the quality and restrain the cost of health care in Pennsylvania.
