Potentially preventable hospitalizations are inpatient stays for select conditions that might have been avoided with effective primary or preventive care--thereby avoiding the need for a more expensive hospital admission. Continued attention to these hospitalizations is particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Delaying primary and preventive care (e.g., due to the temporary challenges in scheduling outpatient care, concern about visiting physician offices due to COVID-19) could increase the risk of hospitalizations particularly for those suffering from chronic illnesses such as heart failure and diabetes. This brief examines potentially preventable hospitalizations for Pennsylvania residents aged 18 and older discharged from Pennsylvania acute care hospitals in fiscal year (FY) 2019 (July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019). These results will serve as a baseline for the continued study of potentially preventable hospitalizations during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
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