National spending for hospital care grew 1.9% over the 12-month period that ended in September, making it the lowest rate since September 2011, according to a report from the Altarum Institute. The rate of hospital employment growth for 2017 also was low, reflecting a steady shift in the delivery of care from inpatient to outpatient settings and in hospitals’ ongoing efforts to control costs.
The record can be obtained at https://altarum.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-related-files/CSHS-Spending-Brief_November_2017.pdf.