| ” Blood Infections Boost Hospital Costs | 2010.03.19 |
| From 1997 to 2007, U.S. hospital costs for treating potentially deadly blood infections (septicemia) increased nearly 12 percent each year and rose from $4.1 billion in 1997 to $12.3 billion in 2007, says a federal government report. Other conditions that saw high annual increases in hospital costs over those years were: EOsteoarthritis -- up 9.5 percent each year ($4.8 billion to $11.8 billion). EBack problems -- up 9.3 percent each year ($3.5 billion to $8.5 billion). EAcute kidney failure -- up 15.3 percent per year ($1 billion to $4 billion) ERespiratory failure -- up 8.8 percent per year ($3.3 billion to $7.8 billion). Overall, the most important factor in hospital cost increases was the greater intensity of services provided during a hospital stay. This area saw a 3.1 percent annual increase and accounted for 70 percent of the total increase in hospital costs, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. |