That would save an estimated 2,581 lives a year, Birkmeyer said. Leapfrog also would like to see the highest-risk births occur in hospitals with at least 15 babies in the ICU each day. The sickest premature babies should also be transferred to those units, the group recommended. These babies account for 90 percent of neonatal deaths, so improving their care could make a dramatic difference, Birkmeyer said. That kind of cooperation will probably be difficult in the Philadelphia area, where neighboring hospitals often belong to different health systems.
Competition is especially keen for heart patients.
Several heart programs have been added in recent years, cutting volume for many hospitals.