Hospitals in the sixth most populous state stand to save $1.4 billion by collectively adding about 20,000 nurses.
So suggests the nonprofit Illinois Economic Policy Institute in a report released April 23.
In a blog post publicizing the report, the organization commented on earlier findings from the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) showing that staffing up by 20,000 nurses—as proposed in pending legislation—would cost too much.
“IHA’s figures appear to include only the labor cost of hiring more nurses but fail to account for the significant cost burdens that understaffing currently imposes on our hospitals,” wrote Frank Manzo IV, MPP, policy director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. “This includes hundreds of millions of dollars in staff turnover and injury costs, reduced Medicare reimbursements due to higher patient readmissions and additional patient time in costly intensive care and surgical units.”
Read the post, which contains a link to the report:
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.