1

Billions of dollars in funding the Institute of Medicine recommends in its latest report -- "Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century" -- that will make healthcare more patient-focused, while developing integrated technology systems to better disseminate information.

3.7

Up from 2.2, millions of hospitalizations deemed unnecessary from 1980-98 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had patients otherwise received more effective ambulatory care.

10

Percent that perscription drugs account for in healthcare costs, which is expected to significantly increase as consumers double spending on healthcare over the next 10 years, according to government estimates.

13

Percent of cost increase for large employers offering health benefit plans to workers in 2001 -- the highest year-over-year percentage increase since a human resources consulting firm began conducting the survey 10 years ago.

18 and 13

Respectively, percentage of number of men and women immigrating to the United States between 1979 and 1989 who had lower all-cause mortality rates than their US-born counterparts, according to the American Journal of Public Health.

57,255

Number of uninsured patients placed on a waiting list in 2000 at the University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, where officials said the institution was stung for costs in new technology, nursing shortages and prescription drugs.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Nelson Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group