Nearly one in five waitlisted patients who remain hospitalized in Hawaii after the need for acute care ends suffers from an infectious disease, a new report shows.
The report by Hawaii Health Information Corp., which analyzes statewide health care data, found the most common disease among waitlisted patients was septicemia — a severe blood infection that can lead to organ failure or death, which costs hospitals $4.7 million annually.
The number of waitlisted patients with this potentially life-threatening disease more than doubled between 2006 and 2011. Other top conditions among these patients include parasitic diseases and cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection.
The report is based on 2011 discharge data from all Hawaii hospitals, except Tripler Army Medical Center.