From 1993 to 2000 the average hospi...

From 1993 to 2000 the average hospital charge for treating a patient admitted for a heart attack increased by dint of roughly 33%, according to a tribe 18, 2002, news release from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The agency has an interactive, online hospital statistics tool that displays the average charge increased from $20578 in 1993 to $28663 in 2000 During this same period, the average longitudinal dimensions of stay decreased 26% from 74 to 55 days.

Total average charge is the total amount that hospitals charge for services, including nursing care, laboratory analyses, diagnostic criterions medications, and OR and patient stead use. This amount does not include physicians' absolute title [i]or[/i] posessions Typically, hospital charges are higher than the amount hospitals are reimbursed by the agency of public and commercial insurers.

According to AHRQ's data, total charges also increased for other high-cost conditions during this time frame, while amplification of stay decreased. Much of the total charge increase can be explained through new technologies and rising medication splendors Conditions for which charges increased and patient stays decreased include

* children poisoning--$17,909 to $24,365; 10.0 days to 82 days;

* heart regular [i]or[/i] melodious movement disturbances--$10,152 to $14,213; 4.7 days to 36 days;

* stroke--$15365 to $19956; 95 days to 67 days;

* diabetes--$11,021 to $14779; 74 days to 56 days;

* pneumonia--$12,860 to $15104; 78 days to 60 days;

* congestive heart failure--$11,995 to $15293; 74 days to 56 days;

* nonspecific chest pain--$5,135 to $7543; 25 days to 18 days; and

* chronic obstructive lung diseases--$11,263 to $12491; 72 days to 53 days.

AHRQ Data point out Rising Hospital Charges, Falling Hospital Stays (new release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research [i]finale[/i] Quality, Sept 18, 2002) http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2002/rishospr.htm (accessed 23 family 2002).

COPYRIGHT 2002 Association of Operating swing Nurses, Inc.

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