Before patient outcome data can be used for benchmarking, the data should be adjusted for severity of illness.
Severity adjustment ensures that comparisons are fair and meaningful by accounting for differences in patient populations. Without this adjustment, outcomes could appear worse or better simply because one organization is treating sicker patients than another, rather than due to differences in quality of care.
* Organized by patient age (A): While age might be a factor in some cases, severity of illness is more critical for ensuring fair comparisons.
* Adjusted for length of stay (B): Length of stay adjustments might be necessary in some cases, but severity of illness is more fundamental for outcome comparisons.
* Organized by patient gender (D): Gender is less relevant compared to the need for severity adjustment in outcome benchmarking.
References
* NAHQ Body of Knowledge: Data Standardization and Benchmarking
* NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Adjusting Data for Benchmarking
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