HCFA data release--government abuse or patient right?
On March 12, 1986, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a list of 269 hospitals in 46 states with abnormal overall mortality rates. Of these hospitals, 142 showed higher than average death rates and 127 showed lower than average death rates. Also released were similar data for nine DRGs: coronary bypass surgery, pacemaker implantation, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, GI hemorrhage, transurethral prostatectomy, cholecystectomy, and joint procedures. Finally, HHS released data for unusual discharge rates in general and for unusual discharge rates for these nine DRGs.
D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D009026:Mortality; D014481:United States