AHRQ Quality Indicators

Documentation

Research
Presentations
PQI Downloads
IQI Downloads
PSI Downloads
PDI Downloads

Software

QI Software

Prior Versions

PQI Archive
IQI Archive
PSI Archive
PDI Archive
WinQI Archive
HCUP QI Archive

 

Instructions

To download the files from this Web page, click on the following links with the right mouse button and select "Save Link As" (Firefox) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer).

All of the documents below are in PDF format. Help with PDF files is available.

 

Current Version

 

 

 

Patient Safety Indicators Download

User Guide

The User Guide provides direction on the interpretation of the Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs). It also provides an overview of the methods used to identify, select, and evaluate the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Quality Indicators (QIs), a summary of the literature based evidence, empirical rates based on the State Inpatient Databases, and detailed definitions for each PSI. Potential users of this document include hospitals, State data organizations, and hospital associations.

Software
Covariates Used in Risk Adjustment

Two sets of covariates are  provided for the PSIs.  One group is based on a reference population that includes "Present on Admission" data (new in v3.1), and the other does not.  The two versions correspond to the two selections you may make within the QI software.  (SAS Control file, WinQI is determined automatically based on the loaded data.)

Change Documents

PSI Change Log:  The Change Log document provides a cumulative summary of all changes to the PSI software, software documentation, and guide made since the release of version 2.1 of the software in March 2003.

  • Change Log to PSI Guide and Software, May 2003 - Present

PSI ICD-9-CM Coding Changes:  This document summarizes the changes to the indicator definitions resulting from FY 2006 changes to ICD-9-CM coding and DRG changes. These changes will only affect data from FY 2006 (October 1, 2005) or later. With this software update, the PSI software definitions now incorporate ICD-9-CM codes valid from October 1, 1994 through September 30, 2006.

Technical Documentation

The technical review of research underlying the development of the Patient Safety Indicators is available here.  A current summary of the evidence can be found in the PSI Guide that may be downloaded above.  Consult the Change Log and the archived coding changes documents for changes that have been made since the original PSI release.

Documentation in Microsoft Word® Format

Internet Citation:
Patient Safety Indicators Download. AHRQ Quality Indicators. March 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/psi_download.htm