Hospital readmission and mortality rates, which are used to rank hospital performance, can vary significantly, depending on how these data are calculated, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The study calculated hospital-specific 30-day death or readmission rates for adults at all 162 Ontario hospitals from 2005 and 2010 using different methods for confounder adjustment (age-sex v. complete) and different units of analysis (all hospitalizations v. 1 per patient).
The researchers found hospital-specific rankings changed extensively based on which methodology was used. Specifically, readmission rates adjusted for age-sex alone had the greatest variation. Similar variations were found for 30-day death or urgent readmission rates.
The researchers concluded major stakeholders should account for these variations and be cautious of calculation methodologies.
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The study calculated hospital-specific 30-day death or readmission rates for adults at all 162 Ontario hospitals from 2005 and 2010 using different methods for confounder adjustment (age-sex v. complete) and different units of analysis (all hospitalizations v. 1 per patient).
The researchers found hospital-specific rankings changed extensively based on which methodology was used. Specifically, readmission rates adjusted for age-sex alone had the greatest variation. Similar variations were found for 30-day death or urgent readmission rates.
The researchers concluded major stakeholders should account for these variations and be cautious of calculation methodologies.
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