CT hospitals rank 15th among states in avoiding low value care, worst in New England

Every 80 seconds a US hospital provides a low value test or procedures to an older adult, putting hundreds of thousands of people’s health at risk, according to the latest Lown Institute Hospitals Index. Only one hospital from US News’ honor roll was in this top 100 for avoiding inappropriate tests and procedures. Hospital scores are based on Medicare data covering 12 common procedures and tests and include both under- and over-use.

Connecticut hospitals ranked 15^th nationally, in avoiding unnecessary procedures and tests. Norwalk and John Dempsey hospitals were in the top 50 hospitals for avoiding low service (#43 and 44, respectively).

New England states performed better than the rest of the country. Connecticut performed the worst among New England hospitals, but ahead of New York and New Jersey. However New York’s St. Francis Hospital/The Heart Center led the nation in appropriate use of EEG for fainting and New Jersey’s Newton Medical Center led in arthroscopic knee surgery, while no Connecticut hospital led on any of the study’s low value services. None of the top ten teaching hospitals are in Connecticut.