By Arjun Teotia, Brent D. Fulton, Dan R. Arnold, Richard M. Scheffler | Published February 2025 | Link to article
A new study by Teotia, Fulton, Arnold and Scheffler introduces a hospital quality index to assess variations in hospital performance across the U.S. from 2013 to 2021, using data from 3,000 hospitals. The index combines three key metrics from the CMS Hospital Compare dataset—30-day readmission rates, 30-day mortality rates, and patient experience scores—weighted by hospital size.
The study reveals significant state-level disparities in hospital quality. While Utah led the nation, 14 states fell behind the national average. Despite overall improvements in readmissions and mortality, patient experience scores declined.
This innovative index provides crucial insights for policymakers and healthcare professionals aiming to reduce disparities and improve care quality nationwide.