Better Hospital Financial Performance Not Related To Better Consumer Outcomes

Hospitals with higher than average operating margins in 2008 did not have consistently better outcomes on Medicare mortality rate measures from 2008 through 2011 for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or pneumonia. Hospitals with higher than average operating margins had a modest increase in their mortality rates for congestive heart failure (CHF).

These findings were reported in “Relationship Between Hospital Financial Performance And Publicly Reported Outcomes” by Oanh Kieu Nguyen M.D., MAS; Ethan A. Halm M.D., MPH; and Anil N. Makam M.D., MAS. The researchers sought to assess the relationship between hospital financial performance and publicly reported outcomes . . .