Florida Hospitals Reduce Readmission Rates
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — Just five years ago, Florida was considered one of the worst in the nation when it came to health outcomes and high healthcare costs, according to Florida Hospital Association (FHA).
Now the state is doing what it can to improve quality for patients and save money under the Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act gives Medicare officials the ability to fine hospitals if they have too many readmissions within 30-days.
According to a report by the FHA, recent hospital patients are 15 percent less likely to be readmitted within the following month.
Florida hospitals have also saved $25 million in two years, prevented 1,500 re-admissions at 107 hospitals and reduced the number of bloodstream and urinary tract infections.
Although Florida hospitals have improved, 135, or 80 percent, of them will still be penalized according to Kaiser Health News.
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