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Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research Quality Indicators

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Quality Indicators (QIs) are measures of health care quality that make use of readily available hospital inpatient administrative data. The AHRQ QIs consist of three modules measuring various aspects of quality. The Prevention QIs identify hospital admissions that evidence suggests could have been avoided, at least in part, through high-quality outpatient care. The Inpatient QIs reflect quality of care inside hospitals including inpatient mortality for medical conditions and surgical procedures. The Patient Safety Indicators also reflect quality of care inside hospitals, but focus on potentially avoidable complications and iatrogenic events. Software and user guides for all three modules are available to assist users in applying the Quality Indicators to their own data.

Spotlight

Public Reporting and Quality-Based Purchasing: The Evidence Base and Practical Tools-Register Now for October Web Conference Series

Guidance Document on Using the Quality Indicators for Public Reporting or Payment Released (09/30/2004)

Online U.S. Federal Government resources