Hospital admission for uncontrolled chronic diseases is cited as waste; which condition is given as an example?

• A. Diabetes mellitus
• B. Acute appendicitis
• C. Migraine
• D. Bronchitis

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that waste includes hospitalizations that happen because a chronic condition isn’t being managed well, something that could often be avoided with better outpatient care. Diabetes mellitus is the prototypical example because when blood glucose isn’t controlled, people are at high risk for preventable inpatient emergencies like diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, plus infections, dehydration, and poor wound healing. These complications drive expensive hospital admissions that could often be prevented with regular monitoring, appropriate medications, lifestyle support, and timely outpatient management.

The other conditions don’t fit this pattern as cleanly. Acute appendicitis is an acute surgical emergency rather than a preventable inpatient admission stemming from chronic disease mismanagement. Migraine can be chronic but hospitalizations aren’t typically framed as consequences of uncontrolled chronic disease. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic (as in COPD), but the example specifically points to uncontrolled chronic disease driving admission, with diabetes as the classic case.