Respiratory Failure Average LOS for a 30-Day Episode of Care: Sparks Medical Center - Van Buren’s 3.38 Day Rate is Lowest in Arkansas and Under Half the State Average
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By: Jeffrey Maser Apr. 23, 2018
Dexur analysts recently studied pulmonary edema and respiratory failure claims data from CMS between 2013-2016 and found that Sparks Medical Center - Van Buren in Van Buren had the lowest 30-day episode of care average length of stay (LOS) among Arkansas hospitals at only 3.38 days. This was less than half the 6.84 day rate for Arkansas Medicare enrollees and four and a half days lower than the national average of 7.88 days. Baptist Health Medical Center-Heber Springs, located in Heber Springs, ranked 2nd at 3.52 days while North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison ranked 3rd at 3.86 days. Great River Medical Center in Blytheville ranked 4th at 3.88 days and Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers placed 5th at 3.89 days. The 6th ranked hospital had a rate of 4.67 days, 0.78 days higher than Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas and over a full day higher than Sparks Medical Center - Van Buren.
30-day episode of care average LOS with unplanned readmissions comprises the index hospital LOS and any other days spent in the hospital within the first 30 days post-discharge due to unplanned readmissions. Unplanned readmissions are defined as hospital readmissions where the patient was admitted through the emergency department. However, it should be noted that patients are not necessarily readmitted to the index hospital for subsequent stays. Hospitals in Arkansas were included in the rankings if they accounted for at least 50 DRG-189 (Pulmonary Edema And Respiratory Failure) discharges between January 2013 - December 2016; 30 hospitals met this criteria. DRG-189 is the only diagnosis related group within pulmonary edema and respiratory failure. Discharges where the patient expired, was transferred, or was discharged against medical advice were excluded from the totals.
One of the largest contributors to the top ranked 30-day episode of care average LOS at Sparks Medical Center - Van Buren was their 2.81 day index hospital average LOS. They ranked best in the state for this metric as well and were the only hospital in the state with a rate below three days for this metric. Their average LOS was under half the state average of 5.77 days and nearly four days lower than the national average of 6.68 days. Another major contributor was their average LOS for unplanned readmitted hospital stays, which tied for lowest in the state at 3.0 days. This was also substantially lower than both the state and national averages of 5.38 and 5.95 days, respectively. The only other hospital with a rate of 3.0 days for this metric was Great River Medical Center, which ranked 4th overall for 30-day episode of care average LOS. Finally, Sparks Medical Center - Van Buren's unplanned readmission rate of 18.84% was below both state and national averages as well. Arkansas Medicare enrollees accounted for a 19.71% rate while the national average was 20.2%.
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- Hospital Location, DRG-189 Discharge Volume, DRG-189 Average LOS for a 30-Day Episode of Care with Unplanned Readmissions, DRG-189 Average LOS for the Index Hospital Stay, DRG-189 Unplanned Readmission Rate and DRG-189 Average LOS for Unplanned Readmitted Hospital Stays for the Nation, Arkansas Medicare Enrollees and the 10 Arkansas Hospitals with the Lowest DRG-189 Average LOS for a 30-Day Episode of Care with Unplanned Readmissions between January 2013 - December 2016
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