Hospitals Make Positive Gains in Surgical Survival Rates

September 30, 2025

A new report from the American Hospital Association finds that despite treating sicker and more clinically complex patients, hospitals have made significant gains over the past five years in improving survival rates and reducing post-surgical complications. The detailed analysis found a 22% reduction in mortality risk for hospitalized surgical patients in the first quarter of 2024 compared with fourth quarter of 2019.

The report also notes:

• Improvements in patient safety metrics, including reductions in infections and falls
• Marked declines in three high-risk complications strongly linked to mortality: post-operative hemorrhage, sepsis and respiratory failure

Another finding is that the average length of stay for hospitalized surgical patients has increased by nearly one full day over the last five years. The report attributes the longer stays to hospitals treating more severely ill patients, as well as a growing trend by health insurance companies to delay discharges and deny coverage for appropriate post-acute care services.

Physicians and allied health professionals who work in surgical settings face unique and numerous challenges when it comes to safeguarding patient safety. ISMIE offers a resource on surgical care settings that provides guidance on ways to reduce risk and keep patients safe. Whether the procedure is inpatient or outpatient, each step of the surgical process requires careful planning and coordination among healthcare professionals.

For more information, please contact the Risk Management Division by email.