Medical News: Medicare Adds Readmission Comparison Rates to Hospital Data Site - in Infectious Disease, Public Health from MedPage Today

"CMS began tracking 30-day readmission rates for myocardial infarction, heart failure, and pneumonia, in order to help patients identify which hospitals are providing "high-value healthcare with the best results," said CMS acting administrator Charlene Frizzera. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that President Barack Obama and Congress have identified the reduction of readmissions as a target area for health reform. According to the CMS data, an average of one in five Medicare beneficiaries returns to the hospital within a month of discharge." ..... "CMS also added updated mortality rate information to include three full years of data, from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008. Previously, rates were calculated using only one year's worth of claims data." ...... "The update will also show whether a hospital's mortality or readmission rate is "better than," "no different from," or "worse than" the U.S. national rate. More than 4,700 of the nation's hospitals are included in the site, http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov." Medical News: Medicare Adds Readmission Comparison Rates to Hospital Data Site - in Infectious Disease, Public Health from MedPage Today