Hospital Rankings Vary Dramatically Based on Methodology

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.

 

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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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