These additional costs add further strain during a time of historic inflation levels and workforce challenges.
As hospitals try to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, inflation, labor shortages, and rising expenses, organizations are going to finish out the year in the red, according to the latest National Hospital and Physician Flash reports from Kaufman Hall.
To increase collections and build a stronger, more positive relationship with patients amid these struggles, revenue cycle leaders are putting the spotlight on the patient experience, but as staffing shortages hit organizations’ hard and patients’ length-of-stay grow, these goals seem more unattainable.
The average length-of-stay in hospitals has increased by about 19% for patients in 2022 compared to 2019, according to data from the healthcare consulting firm Strata Decision Technology.
These delays in hospitals’ ability to discharge patients, as well as the negative consequences on both patients and hospitals, was stressed in a recent report released by the American Hospital Association (AHA).
According to the AHA, delays in discharge result in hospitals and health systems undergoing additional pressure on an already overwhelmed workforce and reduce overall community access to care.
Additional costs for hospitals are also associated with delays in discharge, as they do not receive reimbursement for any costs associated with the extra days caring for patients in the hospital while patients wait to be discharged.
With hospitals’ expenses projected to have increased by $135 billion just in the last year, and 68% of hospitals ending the year operating at a financial loss, these additional costs add further strain during a time of historic inflation levels and workforce challenges.
“Delays in patient discharges create bottlenecks in the health care system, adding to the already overwhelming challenges facing our hospitals and caregivers. Temporary relief to overburdened hospitals and other providers will help ensure patients get the most appropriate care and will relieve stress on front-line health care workers,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the AHA.
The AHA is asking Congress to establish a temporary per diem Medicare payment that would be targeted to hospitals to easy capacity issues. This would include acute, long-term care, rehabilitation, and psychiatric facilities and would be made for cases identified and assigned with a specific discharge code that falls under this type of long stays.
Amanda Norris is the Director of Content for HealthLeaders.