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Hospital mortality rates decreasing
Recent data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) shows a decrease in unexpected hospital deaths in all B.C. health authorities.
CIHI uses a measure called Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio (HSMR) to compare a hospital’s in-patient mortality rate with the average Canadian rate from 2009 – which is set at the baseline of 100. When hospital deaths decrease, the HSMR also decreases. Over the past five years – B.C.’s HSMR has dropped from 96 to 81 – the best provincial HSMR rate in the country.
HSMR is used by health authorities to track progress in providing safe patient care and for the programs that they use to provide it.
It provides a starting point for administrators to assess hospital mortality rates and identify areas of improvement.
All health authorities in B.C. have shown a decrease in HSMR from 2009-10 to 2013-14, and CIHI rated all health authorities as ‘above average’ on this indicator for 2013-14.
The Interior Health Authority’s HSMR has dropped to 76 from 88 in 2009/10.
“These excellent results, which we see across all health authorities, is a testament to our dedicated health-care professionals, and the programs we have put in place to ensure patient safety,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “Our goal is to see continual improvement in this measure, as part of our strategic priorities for health care.”
Regionally, the East Kootenay Regional Hospital, with 59 acute care beds, had the most acute care hospital stays in 2013/14, with 5,056.
The Fernie-based Elk Valley Hospital with 20 acute care beds had 980 acute care bed stays.
For more on each hospital…
East Kootenay Regional Hospital
Invermere and District Hospital
You can find more information about hospital data other hospitals or health authority at CIHI’s Your Health System website: yourhealthsystem.cihi.ca
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