Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog
For five years, the Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program has aimed to cut down on hospital-acquired injuries and infections by reducing Medicare reimbursements to facilities who rank in the bottom fourth of hospitals with patients who develop these conditions. Hospitals who scored in the bottom quarter will have their Medicare reimbursements slashed by 1% for all patient discharges from October 2018-September 2019.
Penalized Hospitals Have Highest Number of Avoidable Infections & Injuries
The information used to evaluate and penalize hospitals is obtained from a federal organization, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Each year, the group assesses the number of hospital patients who suffer an avoidable injury or infection while hospitalized.
The HAC Reduction Program evaluates hospitals using two separate domains. The first is comprised of 10 hospital-acquired conditions, while the second domain is specifically related to hospital-acquired infections. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the specific conditions and infections are as follows:
Domain 1 (conditions):
- Pressure Ulcer rate (also known as bedsores)
- Iatrogenic Pneumothorax Rate (lung injury obtained from a medical mistake)
- In-Hospital Fall With Hip Fracture Rate
- Perioperative Hemorrhage or Hematoma Rate
- Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury Rate
- Postoperative Respiratory Failure Rate
- Perioperative Pulmonary Embolism (PE) or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Rate
- Postoperative Sepsis Rate
- Postoperative Wound Dehiscence (split) Rate
- Unrecognized Abdominopelvic Accidental Puncture/Laceration Rate
Domain 2 (infections):
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI)
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)
- Surgical Site Infection (SSI) – colon and hysterectomy
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia
- Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI)
Nearly 20% of Illinois Hospitals Rank in Bottom Quarter
This year, 126 Illinois hospitals were evaluated. Hospitals that are exempt are Veterans Hospitals, Freestanding Pediatric Hospitals, Psychiatric Hospitals, and those deemed “Critical Access” hospitals, or those without any competition nearby.
Out of these 126 Illinois hospitals, twenty one facilities will see their October 2018-September 2019 Medicare reimbursements cut by 1%.
Eleven of these hospitals also placed in the bottom fourth of hospitals last year. The hospital and the city in which the hospital is located are listed below. Hospitals also penalized last year are marked with a * symbol.
| Hospital Name | City |
| Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights* | Olympia Fields |
| Genesis Health System | Silvis |
| Iroquois Memorial Hospital* | Watseka |
| Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital* | Dixon |
| Little Company Of Mary Hospital* | Evergreen Park |
| Louis A Weiss Memorial Hospital* | Chicago |
| Mercy Hospital And Medical Center* | Chicago |
| Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital* | Lake Forest |
| Northwestern Memorial Hospital* | Chicago |
| Ottawa Regional Hospital & Healthcare Center | Ottawa |
| Pekin Memorial Hospital | Pekin |
| Richland Memorial Hospital | Olney |
| Saint Anthony Medical Center* | Rockford |
| Saint James Hospital | Pontiac |
| Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center* | Mattoon |
| South Shore Hospital | Chicago |
| St Mary Medical Center | Galesburg |
| Swedish Covenant Hospital | Chicago |
| The Carle Foundation Hospital* | Urbana |
| Thorek Memorial Hospital | Chicago |
| University Of Illinois Hospital | Chicago |
To view data from past years, please click here.
Levin & Perconti: Illinois Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Levin & Perconti is a nationally recognized law firm with over 25 years of experience successfully litigating all types of serious injury, medical malpractice, nursing home, and wrongful death cases. Collectively, our attorneys bring more than 150 years of medical and legal experience and are frequently asked to give expert opinions and advice to news outlets, professional and social groups, and law students.
Hospital-acquired infections and conditions such as bedsores, hip fractures, sepsis, and many others are often avoidable. These problems can also contribute or cause a patient’s death.
If you or someone you love has suffered injury, illness, or infection while in the hospital, please contact us for a free consultation to see if you have a case. Our services are free unless we recover money for you.