Consider how the three rate-based measures (you will select) are defined, how the rates were determined or calculated, how the measures were collected, and how these measures are communicated to both internal and external stakeholders.
Reflect on how the three rate-based measures (you will select) may relate to organizational goals for improved performance.
Reflect on the three rate-based measures (you will select), and consider the importance of these measures on patient safety, cost of healthcare, and overall quality of healthcare.
THE ASSIGNMENT: (810 PAGES)
Describe the three rate-based measures of quality you selected, and explain why.
Deconstruct each rate-based measure to include the following:
Describe the definition of the measure.
Explain the numerical description of how the measure is constructed (the numerator/denominator measure counts, the formula used to construct the rate, etc.).
Explain how the data for this measure are collected.
Describe how the measurement is compared externally to other like settings, and differentiate between the actual rate and a percentile ranking. Be specific.
Explain whether the measure is risk adjusted or not. If so, explain briefly how this is accomplished.
Describe how goals might be set for each measure in an aggressive organization, which is seeking to excel in the marketplace. Be specific and provide examples.
TOOLS FOR MEASURING QUALITY
Full Answer Section
- 30-Day Mortality Rate for Specific Conditions:This measure examines the percentage of patients who die within 30 days of hospitalization for specific conditions like heart attack or pneumonia.
- Readmission Rate:Focuses on care coordination and preventing avoidable re-hospitalizations.
- HAIs:Assesses infection control practices and patient safety.
- 30-Day Mortality Rate:Evaluates the effectiveness of treatment for specific conditions.
- Hospital Readmission Rate (HCAHPS):
- Definition:The percentage of Medicare patients who are readmitted to an acute care hospital within 30 days of discharge for a similar condition.
- Numerator:The number of Medicare patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge.
- Denominator:The total number of Medicare patients discharged from the hospital.
- Data Collection:Medicare claims data is used to identify readmissions for the same or related condition.
- External Comparison:Hospitals are compared to national and regional benchmarks. Performance can be reported as an actual readmission rate (e.g., 15%) or a percentile ranking (e.g., top 25% of hospitals nationally).
- Risk Adjustment:Not typically risk-adjusted for patient severity, but some programs may adjust for factors like age and comorbidities (existing medical conditions).
- Goal Setting:An aggressive goal might be to reduce the readmission rate by 2% annually for the next five years. This could involve implementing programs for transitional care management or patient education on self-care at home.
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs):
- Definition:The rate of specific infections acquired by patients during their hospital stay, measured per 1,000 patient days.
- Numerator:The number of confirmed HAIs identified in hospitalized patients.
- Denominator:The total number of patient days for all hospitalized patients.
- Data Collection:Hospitals use standardized surveillance protocols to identify and report HAIs.
- External Comparison:Hospitals are compared to national and regional benchmarks for specific HAI types (e.g., CAUTI rates). Performance is reported as an actual rate (e.g., 0.5 CAUTI per 1,000 patient days) or a percentile ranking (e.g., lower quartile nationally).
- Risk Adjustment:Rates may be risk-adjusted to account for differences in patient populations and severity of illness.
- Goal Setting:An aggressive goal might involve achieving zero CAUTIs within a specific timeframe. This could involve implementing evidence-based practices like using sterile insertion techniques for urinary catheters.
- 30-Day Mortality Rate for Specific Conditions:
- Definition:The percentage of patients who die within 30 days of hospitalization for a specific condition (e.g., heart attack, pneumonia).
- Numerator:The number of patients who die within 30 days of admission for the specific condition.
- Denominator:The total number of patients admitted for the specific condition.
- Data Collection:Hospitals report mortality data to government agencies based on diagnosis codes.
- External Comparison:Hospitals are compared to national and regional benchmarks for specific conditions. Performance is reported as an actual mortality rate (e.g., 10%) or a percentile ranking (e.g., within the top 10% of hospitals nationally).
- Risk Adjustment:Rates may be risk-adjusted to account for factors like age, comorbidities, and disease severity.
- Goal Setting:An aggressive goal might be to reduce the 30-day mortality rate for heart attack by 1% annually over five years. This could involve implementing evidence-based treatment protocols and improving access to cardiac rehabilitation programs.
- Patient Safety:HAIs and readmissions can increase patient morbidity and mortality. Lower rates indicate improved patient safety.
- Cost of Care:Readmissions and HAIs increase healthcare costs. Lower rates translate to cost savings.
Sample Answer
This analysis focuses on three commonly used rate-based measures for healthcare quality:
- Hospital Readmission Rate (HCAHPS): This measure tracks the percentage of patients admitted to the hospital within 30 days of a previous discharge for the same or a related condition.
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs): This measure captures the rate of infections acquired by patients during their hospital stay, such as catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) or central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).