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High-quality trauma treatment may be less expensive
By Staff Writer
In a recent study of trauma patients, researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center identified differences between the cost and quality of care for individuals afflicted by this type of injury.
The research, which was published in the Annals of Surgery, found that high-quality hospitals spent 22 percent less on trauma patient care than average-quality facilities. In addition, hospitals that were considered to offer better treatments had death rates that were 34 percent lower.
Researchers arrived at these results by analyzing data on 67,124 patients who were admitted to 73 U.S. trauma centers in 2006. The majority of individuals in this study population were between the ages of 40 and 50 and were admitted following a car accident, fall, gunshot, stabbing or other serious injury.
Though the researchers found that high-quality care and lower costs can coexist, they are not entirely sure why this is. A possible explanation is that hospitals of a higher quality might have fewer patient complications, which in turn leads to a shorter period in the hospital and less expenses.
Due to these findings, the researchers believe that hospitals that offer a better quality of care may be a less expensive option for trauma patients who seek treatment or rehab programs.
