(4/14/13)- This site has always been interested in obtaining the most accurate information available to the public. It is why we started our "Tidbit" column on our index page. Our readers have asked us the source of this information. We are happy to report that one of the main sources of this information comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics ("The Center") reports. "All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission: citation as to source, however, is appreciated."

The latest data brief from "The Center, entitled "Trends in Hospital deaths: National Hospital Discharge Survey, 2000-2010 (No. 118, March 2013) reports that there were 2.4 million deaths in 2000, and in 2010 there were 2,5 million, While most people prefer to die in their own homes, one-third of deaths occur in short-stay, general hospitals. Patients who died in the hospital had longer hospital stays than all patients. In 2010, those who died stayed an average of 7.4 days compared with 4.8 days for all patients. Over one-quarter of the patients who died in the hospital stayed 10 days or more, compared with 10% of all inpatients.

Interestingly, the proportion of inpatient hospital deaths for those aged 65 and over decreased 3% from 76% in 2000 to 73% in 2010.. The average age of these patients remained the same throughout the period from 2000 to 2010, at 72-73 years. In 2010, 27% of hospital deaths were among patients aged 85 and over.

The following first-listed diagnoses on admission accounted for 70% of the deaths: repiratory failure (16.5/100 deaths), Pneumonitis, due to solids and liquids (13.6/100), septicemia (16.3/100), Kidney disease (3.5/100), Cancer (4.4/100), Stroke (4.7/100), Pneumonia (3.3/100) and heart disease (3.1/100). For all these diseases the death rate decreased from 2000 to 2010 except septicemia, which increased 17%.

Please see: Health Care Statistics: Part I-National Hospital Discharges
Health Care Statistics: Part II- Ambulatory Medical Care
Health Care Statistics: Part III- Assessing Health Care in the U.S.

FOR AN INFORMATIVE AND PERSONAL ARTICLE ON PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS WHEN SELECTING A NURSING HOME SEE OUR ARTICLE "How to Select a Nursing Home"

Harold Rubin, MS, ABD, CRC, Guest Lecturer
posted April 14, 2013
http://www.therubins.com

e-mail: hrubin12@nyc.rr.com or allanrubin4@gmail.com

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