2007

Health and Hospital Trends

Every year AHA releases a series of reports that provide up to date information on both health and hospital trends.  Data from various sources including the AHA Annual Survey are compiled and made available trough our TrendWatch Chartbook.  Other reports and surveys of hospital leaders are conducted throughout the year and provide a snapshot of issues like the workforce shortage, hospital finances, ED diversion, health care costs, disaster preparedness and other topics of interest to policy makers and the media.

Uncompensated Hospital Care Cost Fact Sheet (pdf), October 2007
Each year, the American Hospital Association (AHA) publishes aggregate information on the level of uncompensated care delivered in U.S. hospitals. The data used to generate these numbers come from the AHA’s Annual Survey of Hospitals, which is the nation’s single most comprehensive source of hospital financial data. This fact sheet provides the definition of uncompensated care and technical information on how this figure is calculated on a cost basis. It also describes how the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) accounting changes to bad debt and free care are currently handled in the Survey to ensure continuity of uncompensated care numbers.

Underpayment by Medicare and Medicaid Fact Sheet (pdf), October 2007
Each year, the American Hospital Association (AHA) collects aggregate information on the payments and costs associated with care delivered to beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid by U.S. hospitals. The data used to generate these numbers comes from the AHA’s Annual Survey of Hospitals, which is the nation’s single most comprehensive source of hospital financial data. This fact sheet provides the definition of underpayment and technical information on how this figure is calculated on a cost basis for Medicare and Medicaid.

Healthy People Are the Foundation for a Productive America (pdf), TrendWatch, October 2007
Healthy, productive individuals make our nation strong and vibrant. Advances in medicine contribute to national economic growth by helping Americans recover more quickly from injury and illness, avoid lost or ineffective work time due to flare-ups of chronic conditions, and live longer with higher quality of life.
Chartpack (ppt)

The 2007 State of America’s Hospitals – Taking the Pulse, Chartpack (ppt), July 2007
The 2007 State of America’s Hospitals: Taking the Pulse, Findings from the 2007 AHA Survey of Hospital Leaders, illustrates hospitals’ daily challenges including, but not limited to, workforce shortages, hospital Capacity, emergency department diversion and specialty coverage, and disaster readiness. 

Chartbook: Trends Affecting Hospitals and Health Systems, April 2007
The TrendWatch Chartbook 2007 is our 8th annual release of important information, charts and data on trends in the field. This chartbook, together with our periodic TrendWatch reports, is designed to provide helpful analysis of key topics in health care. Inside, you’ll find charts and graphs depicting key trends. 

Community Hospitals: Addressing Behavioral Health Needs (pdf), TrendWatch, February 2007
This report examines behavioral health issues in the context of the important role that community hospitals play in the broad continuum of care.  Hospitals that identify and treat patients with mental health and substance abuse disorders can realize improved outcomes for their patients and communities while also using health care resources more effectively.
Chartpack (ppt)

Coverage Counts: Supporting Health and Opportunity for Children (pdf), TrendWatch, February 2007
Today’s nine million uninsured children lack sufficient access to needed health care. Parents hesitate to seek primary care for their children and may delay getting them acute care. Children’s health and well-being are compromised needlessly. The adverse effects can extend into adulthood, when health and well-being are keys to functioning as productive members of their communities. The links are clear. Having access to health care promotes health and productivity. The key to access is insurance coverage. Ensuring access to health care for all children will help secure the health of our communities.
Chartpack (ppt)