Health Policy

Opioid-related hospital visit rates higher in ERC, but rising like the rest of the nation

December 16, 2016

hospital Massachusetts opioids

From 2005 and 2014 the national rate of opioid-related ED visits almost doubled and inpatient hospital stays rose by 64.1% according to a new report by AHRQ. Unfortunately ERC states are among the highest in the nation on both measures. Massachusetts had by far the highest ED rates in 2014 at two and a half times the national rate. Maryland topped the 2014 list for opioid-related inpatient stays. In better news, ERC states’ growth in those rates from 2009 to 2014 was more modest.

Compared to US average	Opioid-related inpatient stays per capita, 2014	Growth in inpatient stays, 2009 – 2014	Opioid-related ED visits, 2014	Growth in ED visit rates, 2009 – 2014
CT	28% higher	20% worse	37% higher	42% better
MD	61% higher	39% better	62% higher	31% worse
MA	42% higher	56% worse	149% higher	14% worse
NJ	16% higher	62% worse	17% higher	23% better
NY	49% higher	4% worse	2% higher	15% worse
PA	8% higher	179% worse
RI	48% higher	129% worse	62% higher	16% worse
VT	75% higher	192% worse	12% higher	73% better