Goal: Prevent hospital visits and improve emergency department and hospital care.
![Two paramedics wheel a person on a stretcher into a hospital.](/sites/default/files/styles/max_1300x1300/public/2020-02/HospitalEmergency.jpg?itok=P5x6m2xG)
Every year in the United States, there are about 36 million hospital stays.1 Healthy People 2030 focuses on reducing preventable hospital visits and improving hospital care, including follow-up services.
In the emergency department, timely care is critical for improving health outcomes. People staying in the hospital also need high-quality care to reduce their risk of having complications or developing infections. And many people need follow-up care once they leave the hospital.
Many hospital stays and emergency department visits are preventable. Strategies to connect people to a primary care provider, promote healthy behaviors, and create safe environments are key to reducing hospital visits.
Objective Status
5 Target met or exceeded
4 Improving
5 Little or no detectable change
2 Getting worse
6 Baseline only
15 Developmental
0 Research
References
Weiss, A.J., & Elixhauser, A. (2014). Overview of Hospital Stays in the United States, 2012. Retrieved from https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb180-Hospitalizations-United-States-2012.pdf [PDF - 209 KB]