AHRQ Quality Indicators

2009 Mailing List Broadcast

 

September 30 – Update: Release of AHRQ Quality Indicators for SAS® Beta Version 4.0a
As you may be aware, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released the AHRQ Quality Indicators for SAS® Beta Version 4.0a earlier this month. Beta testing has occurred with many QI users and other external parties. We appreciate the feedback provided and are continuing to refine version 4.0a. We expect testing and refinement to continue for several more weeks with a final version of the SAS and Windows software available to the public within the next 45 – 60 days.

Due to the extensive modifications and enhancements made this year, particularly with regards to better incorporation of POA information, we believe this additional testing time is necessary. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please note that Quality Indicators version 3.2 is available for your use until the final release of version 4.0a.

To request the beta version 4.0a please contact support@qualityindicators.ahrq.gov or leave a voicemail at (888) 512 – 6090.

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September 4 – Release of AHRQ Quality Indicator Beta Version 4.0a for SAS®
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announces the release of the AHRQ Quality Indicators (AHRQ QIs) for SAS® Beta Version 4.0a for the Prevention Quality Indicators (PQI), Inpatient Quality Indicators (IQI), Patient Safety Indicators (PSI), and Pediatric Quality Indicators (PDI) modules. Due to extensive enhancements made to version 4.0a, AHRQ is releasing this version as a beta for approximately the next 10 business days. The beta version will be provided to AHRQ QI users upon request.

To request the beta version 4.0a please contact support@qualityindicators.ahrq.gov or leave a voicemail at (888) 512 – 6090.

The date the final version will be released is dependent on the outcome of the beta process. If no material issues are discovered, the final version is expected to be released approximately September 30th, 2009.

The same process outlined above is anticipated in regard to the release of beta version 4.0a of the Windows software. We anticipate the beta will be released September 30th, 2009. The Listserv will be notified when that Windows software beta version 4.0a will be available for request.

The SAS® Beta Version 4.0a includes a new risk-adjustment methodology that provides risk-adjusted rates based on the specific case-mix of each hospital and on the availability of present on admission (POA) information. The beta version also includes some minor corrections and revisions to other aspects of the software.

The risk adjustment methodology implemented in Version 4.0a was adopted to take better advantage of POA information that potentially impacts the identification of cases and hospital rates. The new methods apply POA information more uniformly than previous versions and are expected to ease the transition to greater POA reporting, but their implementation has taken more time than planned. The AHRQ QI support team apologizes for any inconvenience caused by delays in the release of the new risk-adjustment methodology and any confusion due to releasing the software as separate components.

For questions, please contact support@qualityindicators.ahrq.gov or leave a voicemail at (888) 512 – 6090.

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August 20 – PLEASE READ Important Information Regarding Risk-Adjustment for AHRQ Quality Indicator Version 4.0
Users should be aware that the SAS and Windows software for Version 4.0 currently posted on the AHRQ QI web site does not calculate the expected or risk-adjusted rate based on the specific case-mix of each hospital. Therefore, the risk-adjusted rate does not reflect an “apples-to-apples” comparison of performance to the reference population benchmark, and the risk-adjusted rate as currently implemented should not be used for comparative reporting and should not be used for trending the risk-adjusted rate for an individual hospital over time.

Version 4.0 was intended to include a number of enhancements to the risk adjustment, but have taken longer to implement than originally estimated. In an effort to provide an updated version to the AHRQ QI user community we decided to release the software in components. We regret not communicating this earlier to the user community. The AHRQ QI support team will post an updated version of the SAS and Windows software that does calculate the expected rate and risk-adjusted rate on August 31, 2009 (SAS) and September 30, 2009 (Windows). The software will be posted along with supporting documentation on the risk-adjustment methodology. The listserv will be notified the day that the SAS and Windows software is released.

The AHRQ QI support team apologizes for any inconvenience.

For questions, please contact support@qualityindicators.ahrq.gov or leave a voicemail at (888) 512 – 6090.

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Internet Citation:
2007 Mailing List Broadcast. AHRQ Quality Indicators. February 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/listserv_archive_2007.htm

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