The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association (MHA) has issued a new report outlining the challenges the healthcare system faces and offering some goals to relieve the pressures on patients, caregivers, and employers. The report Causes & Consequences: Inside the Healthcare Crisis analyzes the growing stresses within the healthcare system and lists the reasons for the crisis. In particular, this report highlights the costs associated with hospitals not being able to timely discharge patients to Post-Acute Care (PAC) settings. The report highlights that 1,500 patients are tying up one in seven medical surgical beds, due to an inability to find placement in PAC such as rehab hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, or home care. More than a third of these patients have been waiting in hospital beds for a month or more. As a result, Massachusetts hospitals are devoting more than $400 million annually to care for patients who are occupying beds while awaiting placement at the next level of care, leading to financial losses.
MHA’s report offers includes a series of recommendations that policymakers can take to address these health system challenges including: (1) support and grow the healthcare workforce, (2) minimize administrative barriers and (4) modernize healthcare oversight.