Information on hospitalizations in 2001 released - Brief Article

AORN Journal,  June, 2003  

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report outlining hospitalization trends in the United States for the year 2001, according to an April 9, 2003, news release from the organization. Data come from an annual hospital survey that collects information on discharges from nonfederal, short-stay hospitals. Findings include that

* the 32.7 million patients hospitalized in 2001 had a shorter average length of stay (4.9 days) compared to those hospitalized in 1970 (7.8 days);

* older adult patients' average hospital stay in 2001 was 5.8 days compared to 12.6 days in 1970;

* most inpatients were hospitalized for three days or fewer, 27% for four to seven days, and 16% for more than a week;

* hospitalization for congestive heart failure increased 62% for patients age 65 and older from 1980 to 2001;

* 38% of discharges and 46% of all inpatient stays were attributable to older adult patients even though older adults make up only 12% of the population;

* 20% of hospitalized men underwent cardiovascular procedures, but only 10% of hospitalized women underwent these types of procedures;

* one million procedures were performed to remove coronary artery obstructions and insert stents;

* 1.2 million cardiac catheterizations were performed;

* approximately two million arteriography and angiocardiography procedures were performed;

* more than 300,000 inpatients underwent coronary artery bypass graft procedures;

* other major reasons for hospitalization included psychoses, pneumonia, cancer, and fractures;

* approximately 20% of hospitalizations for women (ie, 3.8 million) were for childbirth; and

* approximately 25% of the 25 million procedures women underwent were obstetrical.

New Report Shows Current Patterns of Hospitalization in the US (news release, Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 9, 2003) http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/ media/pressrel/r030409.htm (accessed 14 April 2003).

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