Acute Care

Nearly 20 percent of Medicare patients return to the hospital within 30 days, costing more than $26 billion annually, federal data shows.

Researchers have found that hospitals with the highest rates of readmission were actually more likely to show better mortality scores in patients treated for heart failure, COPD and stroke.

Research suggests that "implicit bias" -- doctors and nurses subtly or subconsciously treating some patients differently than others -- or patients' perception of it could have consequences for people's health.

Staff is operating on emergency plan after virus disables computers and electronic communications.

Programs substantially cut the risk of dying from another cardiac problem, improve quality of life and lower costs; less than one-third of patients whose conditions qualify for the rehab actually participate.

"Adverse drug events" drive up health care costs annually by about $3.5 billion, add about three days to the average stay, DHHS says.

A pair of state-specific studies suggest that, after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, emergency rooms saw more patients, while staffing fewer on-call specialists.

SPOT facility, professionals offer safe place to ride out high, seek new start for treatment.

Orlando Health and Florida Hospital will waive $5.5 million in costs and continue to help victims with financial assistance for follow-up care.

Geriatric ERs have the potential to lower health care costs as staff can more carefully discern who needs to be admitted and who can be cared for outside of hospital walls. That tends to reduce hospitalizations among the elderly.