Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1295290
43 HEALTHCARE NEWS National healthcare scorecard: Where does your state rank? By Ayla Ellison A n analysis of state health system per- formance revealed Hawaii is the top- ranked state for access to healthcare, quality of care and other key measures. e Commonwealth Fund's "2020 Score- card on State Health System Performance" assessed all 50 states and the District of Columbia on 49 performance indicators grouped into four dimensions: access and affordability, prevention and treatment, po- tentially avoidable hospital use and cost, and healthy lives. e data used for the scorecard is from before the emergence of COVID-19. Access additional information about the performance indicators here. e annual scorecard showed Americans are living shorter lives than they did in 2014 and are dying in greater numbers from treatable conditions. Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexi- co, Kentucky and Mississippi had the biggest increase in premature death rates between 2012 and 2013 and from 2016 to 2017. e report also found that Black Americans are twice as likely to die from treatable con- ditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and appendicitis, as white Americans. ough these disparities were found in every state, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma re- ported the highest rates of premature deaths in the Black community. e report also looked at healthcare prices. It revealed the prices commercial insurers paid for hospital inpatient care were higher than Medicare prices in every state. Because insurers oen pass along higher costs to employers in the form of higher premiums and deductibles, the report concluded that healthcare prices are driving spending growth and rising consumer healthcare costs. Below are the overall health system perfor- mance rankings for each state, according to the 2020 scorecard. 1. Hawaii 2. Massachusetts 3. Minnesota 4. Iowa 5. Connecticut 6. Colorado T-6. Vermont 8. Washington 9. Utah 10. New York 11. New Hampshire T-11. Wisconsin 13. North Dakota 14. Maryland 15. Rhode Island 16. District of Columbia T-16. New Jersey 18. Montana 19. California 20. Nebraska 21. Idaho T-21. Pennsylvania 23. Oregon 24. Delaware 25. Illinois T-25. Virginia 27. Michigan 28. Ohio 29. South Dakota 30. New Mexico 31. Maine 32. Alaska 33. Arizona 34. Kansas 35. Wyoming 36. North Carolina 37. South Carolina 38. Indiana 39. Kentucky 40. Alabama 41. Florida 42. Arkansas T-42. Texas 44. Louisiana T-44. Tennessee 46. Georgia 47. West Virginia 48. Missouri 49. Nevada 50. Oklahoma 51. Mississippi n HCA to end obstetrics, NICU care at California hospital By Ayla Ellison W est Hills (Calif.) Hospital, owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, is closing its obstetrics program and neonatal intensive care unit Nov. 1. The hospital cited a decline in the number of babies being born at the hospi- tal over the past few years as the reason for ending the services. "West Hills Hospital will work closely with the obstetrical medical staff to main- tain continuity of care for its patients," the hospital said. "We will also continue to provide emergency care services, including OB/GYN, to all patients." Approximately 55 employees will be affected by the obstetrics program and NICU closure. The hospital said it will work with those employees to identify new opportunities with its systems. n