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Adverse Events in Rehabilitation Hospitals: National Incidence Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

Levinson DR. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; July 2016. Report No. OEI-06-14-00110.

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July 27, 2016
Levinson DR. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; July 2016. Report No. OEI-06-14-00110.
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The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued a series of reports analyzing the incidence and preventability of adverse events among Medicare beneficiaries receiving care in acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. This report used similar methodology based on trigger tools to determine adverse event incidence among patients in rehabilitation hospitals—post-acute care facilities that provide intensive rehabilitation to patients recovering from hospitalization for an acute illness or injury. The study found that 29% of patients experienced an adverse event during their stay, a proportion nearly identical to rates at acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Nearly half of the events were considered preventable, with the most common types of events including pressure ulcers, delirium, and medication errors. Nearly one-fourth of patients who had an adverse event required transfer to an acute care hospital for diagnosis or management, leading to a large increase in costs of care. Based on these data, the OIG has recommended that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services disseminate information about patient harms in the rehabilitation setting and work to improve safety at rehabilitation hospitals. A previous WebM&M commentary discussed an adverse event at a rehabilitation facility.

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Levinson DR. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; July 2016. Report No. OEI-06-14-00110.

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