Sepsis Responsible for Most Hospital Readmissions

Based on data taken from a national hospital readmissions database that covers almost half of all inpatient stays in the United States, a team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that the most common cause of hospital readmissions was due to sepsis over any other medical condition. Sepsis outnumbered other common conditions by far, accounting for 12.2% of all readmissions. Other common causes of readmissions were heart failure at 6.7%, pneumonia at 5%, COPD at 4.6%, and heart attack at 1.3%. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) monitor the rates of hospital readmissions for all of these types of medical conditions in order to levy readmission penalties as needed. Kaiser Health News has issued a report anticipating significant increase in CMS readmission penalties in 2017, which are likely to affect more than half of American hospitals and result in the total withholding of $528 million in Medicare funds.

In comparison to these other common medical conditions leading to hospital readmissions, sepsis often causes patients to not only frequently return to the hospital, but also to develop new medical conditions. As a result, sepsis readmissions have a significantly high death rate. Moreover, hospital readmissions attributable to sepsis also cost more than readmissions related to other medical conditions, or an average of $10,070. The second costliest hospital readmission stems from pneumonia, at an average of $9,533 per readmission.

The Wisconsin nursing home lawyers of Boller & Vaughan know how heart-wrenching it can be when a loved one whom you have entrusted to the care of a hospital or other medical facility suffers conditions that lead to readmissions, such as sepsis, which very well may prove to be fatal. When healthcare providers fail to prevent incidents such as these, they violate your trust in the American healthcare system. Our attorneys are dedicated to protecting your rights and those of your loved ones in all types of circumstances. We handle hospital, nursing home, and assisted living center abuse and neglect cases on a daily basis, and we know how to get the relief to which you may be entitled. Don’t hesitate to fight back against a neglectful or abusive nursing home or home health care agency that has caused harm to your loved one. Call us today and see how we can help.