Barbara Hedrick thought she was admitted to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center when she had a pain pump implanted in her back to make her scoliosis more tolerable. She wore a hospital gown and a hospital-issued bracelet. She was hooked up to an IV. And after the procedure in December 2012, she even spent the night at the hospital. Only weeks later, when the hospital bill arrived at her house in Columbus, did Hedrick learn that staying at the hospital has become more complicated and, in some cases, more costly. One reason is that hospitals are under pressure from insurers to reduce costly short-term inpatient stays.
