In Md., hospital stay costs rise; VA hospital in Calif. revamps to meet needs of female vets

Maryland report finds the average stay in a hospital in 2010 was up about 2 percent, less than the 3 percent national increase.

The Baltimore Sun: Cost Of Hospital Stay Rises In Maryland
The cost of a hospital stay in Maryland is on the rise, but not as much as that nationally, according to a report released Wednesday by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission. The average cost to stay in a Maryland hospital was $10,983 in fiscal year 2010, compared to $10,767 the previous year, according to the report. The 2 percent increase was lower than that nationally, where the cost of a hospital stay increased 3 percent (Walker, 9/14). 

Meanwhile, a California radio report looks at key changes in a Veterans Administration hospital:

KQED/The California Report: Female Veterans Bring Changes At San Diego's VA Hospital
Women play a growing role in the military -; they now make up 14 percent of those on active duty and almost eight percent of the veteran population. San Diego has more veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan than any other region in California. ... the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Diego is going though a cultural shift to adapt to the needs of its new patients (St. John, 9/14).

A Florida news service notes that hospitals there have scored well in an independent analysis:

Health News Florida: Which FL Hospitals Scored Best?
More than 50 Florida hospitals were recognized as "top performers" Wednesday by the country's leading health care accreditation agency. ... Heart attack care outcomes have improved by 11.5 percent while surgical care outcomes are up by 14.3 percent (Davis, 9/14).