Using control charts to monitor quality of hospital care with administrative data

Abstract

Objective. Nearly all hospital-specific comparative analyses, based on administrative data, are presented using cross-sectional displays. In this paper, we compare cross-sectional analyses with sequential monitoring using control charts. Design. Analysis of administrative data to compare cross-sectional funnel plots with one type of control chart: the risk-adjusted, expected-minus-observed plot. Setting. Eighteen tertiary and base hospitals in Queensland, Australia, for the two financial years 2003-04 and 2004-05. Participants. Patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction. Main outcome measure. Risk-adjusted, 30-day, in-hospital, mortality rates. Results. There were no outliers on the ..