Diabetes short-term complications are a result of extreme fluctuations in blood In fact, diabetes is the most frequent cause of lower limb amputations that were …
HIDALGO COUNTY
PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS PROFILE
wwwdshsstatetxus/ph
Some hospitalizations can be prevented
Some hospitalizations can be very serious and expensive
Hospitalizations represent a major part of local, state and federal
health care costs
The purpose of this profile is to provide user-friendly
information that can be used to:
V Identify potential health care access problems in
Hidalgo County;
V Identify potential unmet health care needs in Hidalgo
County;
V Monitor the degree to which hospitalizations are avoided
and dollars saved in Hidalgo County; and
V Assist in developing strategies to improve health care
and reduce costs in Hidalgo County
This profile has information about preventable hospitalizations for
physical health, mental health and substance abuse
Section I has information about preventable hospitalizations for
physical health
Section II has information about preventable hospitalizations
for mental health and substance abuse
Note:
o This profile is not an evaluation of hospitals or other health care
providers
o This profile does not describe the county where the individual was
hospitalized For example, an individual who is a resident of
Rockwall County, but is hospitalized in Denton County, would be
included in the information for Rockwall County; and
o Information in this profile came from the Center for Health
Statistics, Texas Department of State Health Services
wwwdshsstatetxus/chs
SECTION I Physical Health Preventable Hospitalizations
Why is it important to know about preventable hospitalizations?
Adult hospitalizations individuals 18 years and older for the following
conditions are called preventable hospitalizations, because if the
individual had access to and cooperated with outpatient health care,
hospitalization for these conditions could potentially have been prevented:
1 Bacterial Pneumonia;
2 Dehydration;
3 Urinary Tract Infection;
4 Perforated Appendix;
5 Low Birth Weight;
6 Angina
without Procedures;
7 Congestive Heart Failure;
8 Hypertension High Blood Pressure;
9 Adult Asthma;
10 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease;
11 Diabetes Short-Term Complications;
12 Diabetes Long-Term Complications;
13 Uncontrolled Diabetes; and
14 Lower Extremity Amputation among Patients with Diabetes
What preventable hospitalization conditions had low rates of
hospitalizations for adult Hidalgo County residents in 2005 and 2002?
In 2005 and 2002, adult residents of Hidalgo County had significantly fewer
hospitalizations than the state average/rate for the following
conditions:
? Low birth weight
? Asthma
Low rates of preventable hospitalizations can mean outpatient health care
providers are doing a good job in diagnosing, educating and treating
patients Additionally, low rates can mean patients are participating in
their care and adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors
What preventable hospitalization conditions had high rates of
hospitalizations for adult Hidalgo County residents in 2005 and 2002?
In 2005 and 2002, adult residents of Hidalgo County had significantly more
hospitalizations than the state average/rate for the
following
conditions:
? Congestive heart failure
? Diabetes long-term complications
? Uncontrolled diabetes
? Lower extremity amputation among patients with diabetes
High rates of preventable hospitalizations can mean there is room for
improvement in outpatient health care For example, the need for
outpatient health care providers to diagnose, educate and treat patients
Additionally, high rates can mean there is room for improvement in patients
participating in their care and adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors
Note: 2005 and 2002 are the most recent years preventable hospitalization
information is available for Texas
|PREVENTABLE |
|HOSPITALIZATIONS |
|Pneumonia is a serious inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection Many different organisms can cause |
|pneumonia, including bacteria, viruses and fungi Bacterial pneumonias tend to be the most serious In adults, |
|Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumococcus bacteria are the most common cause of pneumonia
Pneumonia that is caused|
|by pneumococcus or other bacteria must be treated with antibiotics Hospital admission for pneumonia is |
|relatively common, even though there is a vaccine to help prevent pneumococcal pneumonia |
|Dehydration means the body does not have enough fluid to function well Dehydration can be caused by fluid loss |
|through vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive urination, inadequate intake of fluids, or a combination of both The |
|most common cause of dehydration in infants and children is gastroenteritis with its associated vomiting and |
|diarrhea Appropriate attention to the fluid status of patients at risk for dehydration can prevent dehydration |
|Urinary tract infection UTI is usually caused when bacteria enter the bladder and cause inflammation and |
|infection It is a very common condition, with older adults at highest risk Left untreated, an infection has the|
|potential to cause more serious, even life-threatening difficulties and permanent damage to the urinary tract In|
|most cases, an uncomplicated UTI can be treated with proper antibiotics in outpatient settings |
|Perforated appendix - When
the inside of the appendix is blocked-by a piece of stool, a foreign body that was |
|swallowed, or the swelling from an infection-the appendix becomes swollen and easily infected by bacteria If the|
|infected appendix is not removed, an abscess may form and eventually burst or perforate This may happen as soon |
|as 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin A perforated appendix can spread its infection throughout the abdomen and|
|thus become life threatening Problems in access to ambulatory care and misdiagnosis are among the factors that |
|lead to this complication |
|Low birth weight LBW means birth weight less than 5 pounds 2500g Birth weight is the single most important|
|factor affecting death in newborns and a significant determining factor in infant deaths between 1 and 12 months |
|of age LBW is associated with long-term disabilities such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, vision and |
|hearing impairments, and other developmental disabilities The general category of LBW infants includes both |
|those born too early pre-term infants and those who are born at full term but
who are too small Nutritional |
|status and behavioral risk factors of pregnant women are associated with birth outcome including LBW |
|Preconception screening and counseling in addition to high-quality prenatal care can help prevent poor birth |
|outcomes by identifying women who are at particular high risk and taking steps to lower that risk |
|Angina is a term for the discomfort felt when a blockage in a coronary artery prevents enough oxygen-rich blood |
|from reaching part of the heart In some people, this discomfort manifests not as pain, but as a sensation of |
|tightness or heaviness across the chest Commonly a person recognizes that he or she is having angina only after |
|several episodes have occurred and a pattern has evolved The level of activity or stress that provokes an |
|individual patients angina is somewhat predictable, and the pattern changes only slowly This is stable |
|angina, the most common variety This type of angina can be effectively controlled by medications, which relieve |
|pain by widening blood vessels |
|Congestive heart
failure CHF is one of the most common and severe heart diseases affecting Americans, and one |
|of the most common reasons for hospitalization Congestion is the presence of an abnormal amount of fluid in the |
|tissues, usually because of limitations in the bodys ability to return the flow of blood from the arms or legs |
|to the heart and lungs Though CHF has many possible underlying causes, the end result is an inability of the |
|heart muscle to function well enough to meet the demands of the rest of the body Nonetheless, it is a serious |
|disorder that may lead to a reduced life expectancy Hospitalization may be required if symptoms such as |
|shortness of breath and leg swelling are severe or unstable |
|Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is generally defined as an arterial pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg |
|over an extended period of time It is not a single disease, but a syndrome with multiple causes A number of |
|studies have shown that lifestyle interventions often can help prevent and treat high blood pressure For high |
|blood pressure, these interventions include increasing the level of
aerobic physical activity, maintaining a |
|healthy weight, limiting the consumption of alcohol to moderate levels for those who drink, reducing salt and |
|sodium intake, and eating a reduced-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy food Hypertension is |
|often controllable in an outpatient setting with appropriate use of drug therapy |
|Asthma is a chronic condition that occurs when the main air passages of the lungs become inflamed and narrowed |
|and breathing becomes difficult Asthma symptoms can range from mild to very severe and include coughing, |
|wheezing, and in severe cases, gasping for air Asthma is treatable, and most flare-ups and deaths can be |
|prevented through the use of medications Asthma flares also called attacks actually develop over time, |
|involving a complicated process of increasing airway obstruction With the help of their doctors, many people |
|with asthma have learned to recognize their own particular warning signs of asthma attacks Treating symptoms |
|early can result in prevented or less severe attacks
|
|Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD is characterized by decreased expiratory flow in the airways of the |
|lungs It consists of three related diseases: asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema Because existing |
|medications cannot modify the progressive decline in lung function, the goal of drug therapy is to lessen |
|symptoms and/or decrease complications Patient education on smoking cessation, minimizing shortness of breath, |
|and seeking medical attention can improve quality of life |
|Diabetes short-term complications are a result of extreme fluctuations in blood sugar levels and can be quite |
|serious Extreme dizziness and fainting can indicate hypoglycemia low blood sugar or hyperglycemia high blood |
|sugar, and if not brought under control, seizures, shock or coma can occur Diabetics need to monitor their |
|blood sugar levels carefully and adjust their diet and/or medications accordingly Regular and careful monitoring|
|and management of diabetes in the outpatient setting can often reduce the risk of developing complications from |
|the disease Patient compliance with treatment
plans is essential to the preventive management of diabetes |
|Diabetes long-term complications include risk of developing damage to the eyes, kidneys and nerves Risk also |
|includes developing cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular |
|disease Long-term diabetes complications are thought to arise from sustained long-term poor control of diabetes|
|Uncontrolled diabetes is a non-specific diagnosis, which indicates that the patients blood sugar level is not |
|kept within acceptable levels by his or her current treatment routine |
|Lower extremity amputation is a costly and disabling procedure According to the American Diabetes Association, |
|about 60-70 of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage, which in severe forms, |
|can lead to the need for lower limb amputations In fact, diabetes is the most frequent cause of lower limb |
|amputations that were not made necessary by an injury The risk of a leg amputation is 15-40 times greater for a |
|person with diabetes than for a non-diabetic
|
SECTION II Mental Health Substance Abuse Preventable Hospitalizations
Note: Section II should be developed by 06/20/08
____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________
Who can I contact for more information?
Mike Gilliam, Jr, MSW, MPH
Centers for Program Coordination, Policy Innovation
Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 W 49th St Austin, TX 78756
512458-7111 Ext 2708
mikegilliam@dshsstatetxus
For more information on preventable hospitalizations in Texas, please
visit: wwwdshsstatetxus/ph
Source:dshs.state.tx.us
