Hospital Deaths Down 8% Between 2000 & 2010

In the United States the number of people who died in a hospital each year dropped by eight percent between 2000 and 2010. During the same period, the total number of hospitalizations increased by 11%. Greater use of patient transfers to non-hospital settings, such as nursing homes, hospice, or home health services were proposed as a possible reason for the decrease in hospital deaths. The findings were reported in Trends in Inpatient Hospital Deaths: National Hospital Discharge Survey, 2000–2010" by Margaret Jean Hall, Ph.D.; Shaleah Levant, M.P.H.; and Carol J. DeFrances, Ph.D. The analysis . . .