Study Shows Respiratory Therapists Reduce Deaths by 42%
Dallas, TX -- August 20, 1999 -- A study released this week reveals that the death rate for Medicare nursing home patients with lung problems is significantly lower for those treated by respiratory therapists (RTs) than for those not treated by RTs.
The study showed that lung patients who received care from a respiratory therapist in a skilled nursing facility had a 42% lower death rate -- 4.8 deaths per 1,000 as opposed to 8.3 deaths per 1,000 for patients not treated by RTs.
"This should be troubling to anyone with a loved one in a skilled nursing facility," said American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Executive Director Sam Giordano. "And this statistic is especially alarming now because Medicare cutbacks have driven many facilities to hire lesser-qualified caregivers in an effort to cut expenses."
Researchers came to this and other conclusions after examining 1996 Health Care Financing Administration data for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with lung disorders. The study, researched by Washington, D.C.-based Muse & Associates, also revealed evidence that care delivered by respiratory therapists produces not only improved patient outcomes, but also significant cost savings.
Medicare patients who received respiratory services from RTs during their initial skilled nursing facility stay experienced:
- a 3.6-day shorter length of stay (LOS) in the skilled nursing facility
- a $97.9 million cost savings to Medicare per year based on shorter LOS
- a 31% less utilization of emergency room/outpatient services
"The Muse Study confirms what we have been hearing anecdotally for some time," said Giordano. "RTs need to be involved in the care of patients with lung problems so their quality of life and health remain higher."
This study, commissioned by the AARC, reveals how the Health Care Financing Administration could save money -- and more importantly, lives -- by ensuring that patients with lung disorders receive care by respiratory therapists.