Warning!
This Recession Could Be Hazardous To Our Health
People Doing Their Best To Avoid Hospital Stays

By Carol Sim,
President/CEO, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands

We’re hearing from all quarters that census is down–in acute care hospitals as well as in rehabilitation hospitals. This is a national phenomenon, not just a local problem.

Health care used to be thought immune to downturns in the economy. But now, we’re seeing the effects of people curtailing many of the behaviors that led to a need for healthcare services.

For example, due to high gas prices this summer, people were staying closer to home, driving and traveling less. They also have been forgoing riskier (and often pricey) activities such as skiing that had the potential for accident and injury. Also, given the increase in unemployment and uncertainty about jobs, it appears that people are postponing elective surgery and even routine visits. They are trying to avoid co-pays for office visits and procedures. And they’re also wary of being away from their jobs for weeks or months to recuperate from a surgery.

People are circling the wagons, being very conservative in their behaviors, postponing what they can while they wait for the dust to settle.
According to a recent American Hospital Association survey of 700 CEOs, here are some national trends:

• 31 percent reported a decline in elective procedures in the last three months;
• 38 percent reported a drop in admissions
• And there was an 8 percent increase in uncompensated care from July to September compared to the same period the year before;