AHRQ Adult Safety Indicators - Surgical

What is the source of these Clinical Data comparisons?
The adult patient safety measures surgical shown below have been identified by the Agency for Healthcare Research (AHRQ) as being important indicators of care quality. Upstate Medical University participates in these evidence based data collections by making clinical information available to support such efforts.

The "AHRQ Target" shown in these comparisons is a calculated measure developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research, and it is based on risk adjustment information about Upstate Medical University patients. It reflects the fact that some patients are sicker than others or have preexisting conditions that make death more likely. These measures show Upstate Medical University actual and predicted outcomes as well as Upstate Medical Universities performance in relationship to other academic medical centers, as represented by the "Academic Centers' Median" shown.

What this means: This measures the percentage of patients who break in their hip following surgery, usually due to a fall.

Why is it important: This measures the ability of a hospital to prevent falls and injury.

What this means: This assesses the percentage of cases of unexpected bleeding after surgery that require a procedure to correct. "Hematoma" is blood that pools under the skin and "hemorrhage" is blood loss. This is measured as a percentage of surgical patients who had an operating room procedure.

Why is it important: This can be a serious condition and thus is a suitable measure of patient safety.

What this means: This measures the percentage of serious problems with the body's metabolism after surgery, including diabetes and kidney function. This is measured as a percentage of surgical patients who had an operating room procedure.

Why is it important: TBD

What this means: "Respiratory failure" occurs when the oxygen level in the blood is too low or the level of carbon dioxide is too high. This is a serious condition and this measures the percentage of cases that have respiratory failure following surgery.

Why is it important: Postoperative Respiratory Failure is a serious complication in surgical care and thus is a suitable measure of patient safety.

What this means: This measure is used to assess the percentage of cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) with an operating room procedure. These are serious conditions caused by blood clots that detach and travel through the body.

Why is it important: There are many ways to treat blood clots; prompt treatment is a sign of good patient care process.

What this means: This measures the percentage of patients who have infection in their blood or tissue following surgery.

Why is it important: Sepsis following surgery is a serious complication, but many cases are preventable through good patient care process.

What this means: This refers to the percentage of surgical patients where a surgical wound reopens.

Why is it important: Nationwide, certain procedures, especially abdominal surgeries, are associated with a higher incidence of wound dehiscence. This is a serious complication requiring immediate medical attention.

What this means: This measures the percentage of deaths among patients who developed complications during hospitalization.

Why is it important: A low rate is an indicator of good patient care process.