The Laryngoscope
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has identified 10 hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) for which they will not reimburse care. We sought to determine the incidence of HACs in head and neck cancer (HNCA) surgery and the association with in-hospital mortality, complications, length of hospitalization, and costs. ⋯ HACs are uncommon events in HNCA surgical patients. Because prediction of HACs is poor and the potential for human error crosses demographic, geographic, and structural boundaries, universal innovative measures to reduce the occurrence of HACs are needed.