Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, 225 Market St Ste 400, Harrisburg, PA (2021)

06/11/2021

Guys, when is the last time you went to the doctor? Did you know young men in particular should at least have annual checkups? June is Men’s Health Month—the perfect time to get those annual checkups. See this list of things doctors wish they could tell guys who don’t get their checkups. www.GetItChecked.com #MensHealthMonth

06/10/2021

June is #MensHealthMonth. This month, PHC4 will share data relevant to men in Pennsylvania.

According to PHC4 data, in Pennsylvania, males were more likely to be hospitalized for opioid overdose in 2019 at a rate of 28.1 per 100,000 population. For females the rate was 18.6.

06/09/2021

YOU have the power to end this. With 150+ million Americans vaccinated, you can feel confident in getting your COVID shot. Vaccines have proven safe and effective.

Appointments are available today near you: pa.gov/get-vaccinated #GotMyShotPA

06/08/2021

ICYMI: PHC4's new Financial Analysis shows that Pennsylvania's General Acute Care Hospitals saw significant decreases in both operating and total margins in fiscal year 2020. This decrease represents the significant financial impact on hospitals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

See the full report at www.phc4.org

06/07/2021

Hospitals’ profit margin down | Times News Online

Many local hospitals fared better than that state average when it came to operating margins last year, according to a report released Thursday by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council....

06/07/2021

Pennsylvania hospitals took a financial hit from the pandemic, but Lehigh Valley hospitals fared better than most

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a third of Pennsylvania hospitals in fiscal year 2020 are in bad financial shape, but the major Lehigh Valley hospitals managed to close the fiscal year in the black.

06/04/2021

PHC4's long-time, esteemed Director of Health Policy Research is celebrating her last day with the agency today! Please join us in congratulating her on her well-deserved retirement! She will be very missed!

06/04/2021

Pennsylvania hospital margins thin following COVID-19 - Central Penn Business Journal

Pennsylvania hospitals saw a 33% loss in operating income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new fiscal report by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4).

06/03/2021

Report: Geisinger Wyoming Valley outperforms region and state financially

Jun. 3—The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have hit Pennsylvania hospitals financially, according to a new report, but Geisinger Wyoming Valley not only did well, it exceeded averages for both the Northeast Region of the state and the state itself. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Counci...

06/03/2021

PHC4 financial report: Erie region's big hospitals thrive, smaller ones struggle

Some of Erie and Crawford counties' smaller hospitals did not do well financially, according to a hospital financial report.

06/03/2021

Report shows hospital financial strain from COVID, though local hospitals see comfortable margins

A study of finances at Pennsylvania hospitals during the first part of the COVID-19 pandemic has what one agency is calling "troubling indicators" regarding the future of health care.

PHC4’s newly released Financial Analysis is available now at PHC4.org

06/03/2021

Profits for Pa. hospitals plunged during first COVID-19 wave

PHC4’s newly released Financial Analysis is available now at PHC4.org

More than a third lost money during the fiscal year that included the moratorium on highly profitable elective surgeries.

06/02/2021

Stay safe in the sunshine!

Hey guys—heading outside? Don't forget your sunscreen, even on cloudy days! Applying sunscreen with SPF 30 or ⬆️ and UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection daily can help reduce your risk of skin cancer. #MensHealthMonth

06/01/2021

On Thursday, June 3rd, PHC4 will publish Financial Analysis 2020 Volume One. The report includes statewide data and facility-specific information about the financial health of Pennsylvania’s general acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2020.

05/28/2021

We honor and remember those service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

PHC4’s office will be closed on Monday, May 31st in observance of the holiday.

05/25/2021

Timeline Photos

It’s Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

How often should you reapply sunscreen? Is every two hours enough? What about after you swim? Both?

Test your knowledge with the Sun Safety Quiz from the American Cancer Society 😎 https://www.cancer.org/healthy/be-safe-in-sun/sun-safety.html

05/24/2021

May is National Stroke Awareness Month

According to PHC4 Data:

• There were 21,628 hospital admissions for stroke in 2019—a 1% decrease since 2014.

• 2.8% of these patients died in the hospital—an improvement since 2014 when the mortality rate was 3.7%.

• 11.0% of stroke patients were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days—an improvement since 2014 when the readmission rate was 12.6%.

• The average Medicare fee-for-service payment for stroke hospitalizations was $7,923.

05/21/2021

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is 100% FREE to all people living in the US, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. Find a provider and make a vaccine appointment: pa.gov/get-vaccinated

05/19/2021

DYK? May is Bike-friendly/Walk-friendly month! If you’ve been looking for an easy, fun + free way to increase your physical activity, now's the time take advantage of PA WalkWorks’ routes and other resources. Visit pawalkworks.com to learn more.

05/18/2021

ICYMI: Last week, in conjunction with National Women’s Health Week, PHC4 released hospitalization data on an important maternal health issue—sepsis in patients hospitalized for a delivery or other pregnancy-related condition. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by a system-wide inflammatory response to infection that can worsen to acute organ dysfunction.

Sepsis was present in 6.9 out of every 1,000 maternal hospitalizations during the five-year time frame from October 2015 through September 2020.

See the full research brief at www.phc4.org

05/17/2021

Have you received your COVID-19 vaccine? Encourage family and friends to get vaccinated too by sharing your experience and accurate information about common concerns: https://bit.ly/2QlKOl1 #GotMyShotPA

05/17/2021

Timeline Photos

Parents, your children 12 years and older are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Have your family SleeveUp 💪 for their vaccine as soon as they can and join millions of others across the United States in helping stop the pandemic.

More: https://bit.ly/3uFSUUu

05/14/2021

PHC4's recently published research brief covering the five-year period from 2015-2020 also shows these disparities in Pennsylvania.

In comparing maternal patients without sepsis to those with sepsis, sepsis was more likely in Black, non-Hispanic and Hispanic patients and less likely among White, non-Hispanic patients.

See the full brief at https://www.phc4.org/reports/researchbriefs/sepsis/20/
Sepsis Alliance
#MaternalSepsisWeek

This Maternal Sepsis Week, we’re sharing an important reminder that disparities exist in all facets of our healthcare system – including maternal care.

Get the facts at MaternalSepsisWeek.org.

See the new research brief at https://www.phc4.org/reports/researchbriefs/sepsis/20/

05/14/2021

Report: Luzerne County has higher rate of sepsis in maternal hospitalizations | Times Leader

See the new research brief at https://www.phc4.org/reports/researchbriefs/sepsis/20/

Luzerne County and two neighboring counties have higher rates of potentially serious sepsis among maternal hospitalizations than the state rate, according to a new brief released by the Pennsylvania…

05/13/2021

In conjunction with National Women’s Health and #MaternalSepsis Week #NWHW, PHC4 has published a new research brief: Maternal Hospitalizations and Sepsis, focused on patients hospitalized for a delivery or other pregnancy-related condition who also had a diagnosis of sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by a system-wide inflammatory response to infection that can worsen to acute organ dysfunction. The brief will also examines differences in mortality rates, lengths of hospital stay and age and population-based differences. It is available at https://www.phc4.org/reports/researchbriefs/sepsis/20/

Nearly half of adults with high blood pressure are women. Women also have unique risks for high blood pressure — pregnan...

05/12/2021

How To Monitor Your Blood Pressure at Home

Nearly half of adults with high blood pressure are women. Women also have unique risks for high blood pressure — pregnancy, birth control and menopause — increasing stroke risk. Measuring blood pressure regularly may help lower your risk.

In Pennsylvania, there were 21,628 hospital admissions for stroke in 2019. 2.8% of these patients died in the hospital and 11.0% of stroke patients were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.

May is American Stroke Awareness Month. Learn how monitoring your blood pressure can help lower your risk!

05/11/2021

It's National Woment's Health Week and #MaternalSepsisWeek! Did you know that Maternal sepsis causes at least 261,000 maternal deaths every year worldwide?

A recent analysis of delivery hospitalizations and postpartum readmissions in the U.S. found that 23% of in-hospital deaths were related to sepsis.

Watch for our release later this week of a new research brief on Maternal Hospitalizations and Sepsis in Pennsylvania!

@SepsisAlliance

05/10/2021

May is National Stroke Awareness Month!

Don’t delay; call 9-1-1 right away if you spot the signs of stroke in yourself or someone else. Here are the 5 symptoms to look for. http://bit.ly/2mYG0xaexternal

#StrokeMonth

05/07/2021

Next week, in honor of National Women's Health Week #NWHW, PHC4 will publish a new research brief: Maternal Hospitalizations and Sepsis.

This research brief focuses on patients hospitalized for a delivery or other pregnancy-related condition who also had a diagnosis of sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by a system-wide inflammatory response to infection that can worsen to acute organ dysfunction.

This brief examines differences in mortality rates, lengths of hospital stay and age and population-based differences.

05/06/2021

Thank you nurses!!

It’s National Nurses Day — the perfect time to say THANK YOU, Pennsylvania nurses, for all you do to keep us safe and healthy. 🩺🤗

05/04/2021

The Governor Tom Wolf Administration, in coordination with the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force, announced today that mitigation orders except masking will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31 at 12:01 AM. Read more: https://bit.ly/3h1rwMQ

05/03/2021

Love spending time outdoors? Reduce your chances of exposure to Lyme disease and other tick-related illnesses by following these tips each time you spend time outside ⬇️

04/29/2021

Another reason to get vaccinated: It prevents sepsis, the condition that makes COVID-19 deadly

The word sepsis comes from the Greek word "sepo," which means "I rot." Critically ill COVID-19 patients invariably have sepsis.

04/28/2021

PA report says sepsis is an accomplice in COVID-19 deaths

Apr. 28—A report released Wednesday about hospitalizations in Pennsylvania during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic pointed to sepsis as an accomplice in deaths from the disease. In 30.5% of cases COVID-19 patients also had sepsis, a life-threatening condition in which inflammatory responses to an...

04/28/2021

Report: COVID hospitalizations lower than state rate in most area counties

https://news.yahoo.com/report-covid-hospitalizations-lower-state-133200522.html

Apr. 28—COVID-19 hospitalization rates were lower than the state rate in Luzerne County and all but two neighboring counties last year, from the onset of the pandemic in March through September, according to a new report. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council released two briefs We...