Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) fell by 8 percent between 2014 and 2016, saving approximately 8,000 lives and $2.9 billion in healthcare costs, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Infections and adverse drug events declined by 15 percent. Overall, HACs decreased by 350,000.
In the AHRQ 2014-16 data, not all types of HACs showed the same trends. For example, measured adverse drug events continued to drop between 2014 and 2016, while measured pressure ulcers increased during those years. AHRQ plans to release preliminary 2017 data to confirm these trends.
AHRQ notes that if a 20 percent HAC reduction goal were achieved, the HAC rate in 2019 would equate to 1.8 million fewer HACs and $19.1 billion in cost savings.
Hospital Costs Associated with HACs
