AHRQ: 1 in 10 Hospital Admissions Avoidable

Nearly four million hospital admissions in 2008, roughly one in 10, could have been avoided if acute conditions or chronic diseases that provoked hospitalization were prevented or better managed, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The following patients had the most preventable hospital stays:

• Patients 65 and older, 60%
• Patients between age 45 and 64, 28%
• Patients between 18 and 44, 12%.

"Potentially preventable hospitalizations—in patient stays that might be avoided with the delivery of high quality outpatient treatment and disease management—serve as useful indicators of possible unmet community health needs," the report's authors, Elizabeth Stranges and Carol Stocks of AHRQ say.

Rates of chronic conditions included:

• Diabetes
• Respiratory conditions
• Circulatory conditions