Report shows which Erie-area hospitals posted higher-than-expected mortality rates

UPMC Hamot disputes the findings in a recent statewide report that showed it posted significantly higher-than-expected mortality rates for patients with four medical conditions.

The Erie hospital saw increased mortality rates in the following conditions: back problems — medical management, diabetes — medical management, heart failure, and kidney failure (acute), according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council's annual Hospital Performance Report.

Hamot officials said the report, which was published Dec. 14 and covers the fiscal year October 2021 to September 2022, used a specific set of data and definitions, and that UPMC uses a more complete set of data for analysis.

"We take a broad set of data that is appropriate and look at it," said Emily Shears, Hamot's vice president of operations. "We don't have any specific reason why these rates identify as higher than expected."

Expected morality and readmission rates are different for each condition, and also differ among hospitals based on how sick their patients are. Larger hospitals tend to care for sicker patients who are transferred from smaller hospitals.

Hamot wasn't the only Pennsylvania hospital to have significantly higher-than-expected mortality rates in the report. The statewide in-hospital mortality rate showed a statistically significant increase in 11 of the 16 conditions covered in the report.

Significantly higher-than-expected mortality rates also were reported at the following Erie and Crawford county hospitals:

• Saint Vincent Hospital — stroke

• Corry Memorial Hospital — sepsis, diabetes — medical management

• Meadville Medical Center — chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney failure (acute)

• Titusville Area Hospital — kidney failure (acute), pneumonia — infectious, sepsis, respiratory failure, kidney and urinary tract infection

State report: Erie County hospitals saw expenses skyrocket during COVID-19 pandemic

Though the report specifically excludes patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the viral illness still made an impact on hospital mortality rates, said Liam Migdail, a spokesman for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, a statewide organization that represents 235 Pennsylvania hospitals.

"Hospitals were not only caring for patients with COVID-19, but also more patients with greater acuity health needs due in part to disruptions to preventative care earlier in the pandemic," Migdail said in an email.

Migdail also said comparisons to previous PHC4 reports might not be fair because the pandemic, and the exclusion of COVID-19 patients from the report meant that patient totals were lower for almost every condition.

"The total number of cases for each of the 11 conditions for which the in-hospital mortality rate increased was significantly lower for 2022 than before the pandemic (ranging from 10 to 38 percent lower for each condition compared to 2019)," Migdail said. "Fewer cases being included in the denominator can result in a higher mortality rate even if there are a similar number or even fewer deaths."

Readmission rates were lower for most conditions

While mortality rates increased, 30-day hospital readmission rates were significantly lower-than-expected statewide in 10 of the 17 conditions reported.

But only one Erie and Crawford county hospital reported a significantly lower-than-expected readmission rate: Saint Vincent for diabetes — medical management.

"With diabetes, it's all about long-term management," said Dr. Justin Carlson, Saint Vincent's chief medical officer. "It's good follow-up care, making sure the hospital patient connects with their primary care physician after discharge."

LECOM Health's Millcreek Community Hospital and Corry Memorial Hospital reported significantly higher-than-expected readmission rates for intestinal obstruction.

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ETNBruce.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PHC4 report shows Erie PA region hospitals post high mortality rates