Hospital infection Rates: S&W rates problematic

[Grammar Rules]

www.tdtnews.com
BY NATALIE STEWART FME News Service | Updated 16 hours ago

Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple is among dozens of hospitals across the state receiving Medicare dollars that will likely be penalized for their rates of complications and infections during inpatient stays.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rated each hospital with a score ranging 1 to 10. Higher scores indicate a higher rate of hospital-acquired conditions. Hospitals with a score of seven in the preliminary assessment could have their Medicare payments docked as the federal government cracks down.

Scott & White received a preliminary score of 8.325, causing it to fall into that category and potentially face penalties.

Two other area hospitals are in the clear, as Metroplex Health System in Killeen scored a 3.8 and Seton Medical Center in Harker Heights rated 5.65.

Through the hospital-acquired condition reduction programs, created by the federal Affordable Care Act in an effort to improve the quality of hospital care, hospitals across the nation were assessed based on several measures, including rates of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections and serious complications after surgery.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services identified 58 hospitals in the state likely to have their Medicare payments docked for a year beginning in October based on rates of preventable infections or conditions are higher than at peer hospitals.

“This is an important indicator of quality for hospitals across the country. Our team has made this a focus of our patient safety plans,” said Matt Maxfield, Seton executive director. “Each day patients trust us with their care, and we have to do everything possible in our processes to ensure that they receive high quality results.”

Kim Shahry, quality management director at Metroplex, said quality and patient safety are top priorities.

Metroplex, part of the Premier Hospital Engagement Network, was recognized earlier this month for reducing preventable hospital-acquired conditions and readmissions as part of the federal Partnership for Patients initiative.

“Metroplex Hospital is a prime example of performance improvement in health care,” said Wes Champion, Premier Performance Partners vice president. “Through commitment, transparency, trust and engagement they are collaborating with peers to create a culture of safe, reliable and coordinated care.”

The preliminary penalties are part of a nationwide assessment federal officials released earlier this year that identified about a quarter of the nation’s hospitals for a reduction in Medicare payments through September 2015.

The preliminary numbers were calculated based on infections that occurred between July 2012 and June 2013. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ final assessment time frame is January 2012 through December 2013. Some scores could still change as the government looks at performance over a longer period of time, but health care experts said they still expect hospitals with high preliminary scores to stay on the final penalty list.

The Texas Tribune contributed to this report.

Somehow the local perception seems to be that S&W is so much better than Metroplex, but infection rates are a direct indicator of whether or not staff follow appropriate hygiene procedures. This report is based on data that's over a year old, but it's so important for the patient and family members to watch everything that happens both before and after procedures. Obviously you're on your own in the OR, but infection is more likely afterward from sloppy wound care, IVs, and invasive tubing like catheters.

[CenTexDave]

Thanks for the info, but if I still have a choice I'm going to S&W over Metroplex.

[Grammar Rules]

My primary care doc is at S&W. My late husband was in poor health for years and had at least a dozen major surgeries there plus countless procedures and many hospitalizations. There's no question he lived decades longer than expected due to the physicians and nurses there; still, I can tell horror stories about screw-ups that should not have happened. I'll continue to use S&W, but with any hospital, the patient and family must watch, question, and keep informed about care standards and proper in-clinic/hospital hygiene and procedures in wound care, etc.

[Mestral]

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Somehow the local perception seems to be that S&W is so much better than Metroplex, but infection rates are a direct indicator of whether or not staff follow appropriate hygiene procedures. This report is based on data that's over a year old, but it's so important for the patient and family members to watch everything that happens both before and after procedures. Obviously you're on your own in the OR, but infection is more likely afterward from sloppy wound care, IVs, and invasive tubing like catheters.

Hospital acquired infections are an important metric in quality of care. But there are other things to measure. I know someone who looks like they had a fight with a skill saw, and lost, because of a misdiagnosis, for instance.

Scott and White can solve part of the problem of being penalized, and probably at the same time address some of their quality of care issues, just by refusing to see any more Medicaid patients. I suspect they lose money on every Medicaid patient they see. I wonder how things would go if Hospitals began going that route.

[IronErnin]

And they would lose state and maybe even federal business, in the process. Do you not think the state would tell employees covered under state funded plans to go elsewhere. And the feds just might start referring Tri Care patients elsewhere, as well.

[Mestral]

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And they would lose state and maybe even federal business, in the process. Do you not think the state would tell employees covered under state funded plans to go elsewhere. And the feds just might start referring Tri Care patients elsewhere, as well.

It is possible, but there have been a good many doctors that went that route.

[IronErnin]

Doctors as private practitioners. Hospitals are a different matter. Besides, how much money does Scott & White gather in federal grants for research, each year? All of that could go away, if they stop seeing Medicaid patients. OBTW, their emergency department cannot turn anyone away for any reason. Its the law.