title: Risk-adjusted indices for measuring the quality of inpatient care.
abstract: This article describes a risk-adjustment method for profiling hospitals and physicians on key measures of clinical quality using readily available administrative data. By comparing actual and expected rates of mortality, complications, readmissions, and patient safety events, this method enables providers to identify both favorable and adverse outcomes performance.
authors.affiliation: The Delta Group, Inc, Greenville, South Carolina 29601, USA. tfort@thedeltagroup.com
authors.forename: M Thane
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Forthman
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: Henry G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Dove
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking / Q000592:standards; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020379:Risk Adjustment / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology