Briefing June 2013 Issue 266
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Hospitals Forum briefing June 2013 Issue 266 The non-executive directors’ guide to hospital data Part four: How to make good use of data – quality and safety, including mortality, activity data, contracting and finance Key points Understanding your organisation’s data is an essential part of providing effective oversight. But data may not always give you the complete picture • Many indicators can be used and it is important to first understand what data is available, how it is to monitor quality and safety. recorded and what these records are used for. They should not be considered in isolation. This Briefing will help non-executive directors (NEDs) better understand • The quality of indicators is NHS data and how it can be used to determine what is going on in their inextricably linked to the quality hospital. For the purposes of this Briefing we examine data in the acute of data. care setting only. Data is of course collected in primary care by GPs, • The accurate coding of clinical pharmacists, dentists and opticians, but the various datasets are not activity is fundamental, linked by the NHS. particularly when constructing mortality rates. This Briefing looks at how to make good use of data across: quality and safety, including mortality; activity; contracting; and finance. It also • Good clinical coding is also crucial includes a short technical guide on ICD-10, OPCS-4 and healthcare in determining the right level of resource groups (HRGs). payments for healthcare services, and thus defining NHS tariffs. How to make good use non-executive directors need to of data be aware that they have to ask Data, by its nature, is something the right questions in order to that should be handled carefully. establish what the data is telling NHS data is no exception and them. The questions are simple Produced in association with briefing 266 The non-executive directors’ guide to hospital data: part four ‘There is no single ‘dashboard’ Key questions for NEDs to ask that should be used; the recommendation is that • Do we have a collaborative approach between clinicians and coders to trusts monitor a wide spread ensure the data we hold is accurate? of indicators and consistently • Is there a robust clinical governance process in place regarding the track these over time’ review of mortality to provide assurances to the board? • Do we have mortality sub-groups in place within our organisation? and straightforward. For instance, do our emergency admissions • Are readmission cases a result of the quality of care we provide or a lack figures include mothers and of community services for the treatment of certain conditions? babies? Without answers to these questions the data cannot be • Are we monitoring the same range of quality and safety indicators interpreted correctly. over time? We have already highlighted the • Do we benchmark our performance against other providers? sort of questions that can be asked of NHS data in parts one, trusts to make sure they are characteristics which would two and three of this series. We comparing like with like, and peer affect the indicators (such as now turn to how the data can be used to help trusts improve the group comparison shines a light age, diagnosis, co-morbidities quality and safety of the services on the areas where improvements and procedure). Adjustment they provide. can be made. can be made for a number of indicators, including length Quality and safety However, non-executive directors of stay, readmissions and need to be aware that in order mortality. Although it sounds There are many indicators to benchmark data a number of straightforward, performing that can be used to monitor things have to happen. First is clinically credible risk the quality and safety of care adjustment of the raw numbers. adjustment is difficult and there provided by a hospital trust. At its simplest level, this is for the are different ways of adjusting However, there is no single size of the hospital trust and the for risk. The following example ‘dashboard’ that should be used; number of patients that it delivers explains the basics. the recommendation is that care to in comparison to other trusts monitor a wide spread of trusts (turning “raw” scores into Risk adjusted indicators and consistently track rates, for example, the number of readmissions within these over time. events per 1,000 patients). 30 days Although this intelligence is The next stage of refinement is This indicator is the relative risk useful, it is one dimensional. the construction of risk-adjusted of readmission within 30 days. The board can only see how the indicators. Risk adjustment is It is the ratio of the observed trust is performing in isolation. the process of adjusting for risk number of readmissions Benchmarking is required to factors (which might explain to the expected number of assess performance within, and variation in outcome) so that readmissions (taking into across, the healthcare system. comparison can be made. account the various risk factors). There is, understandably, a In essence, the adjustment This ratio is then multiplied growing market for benchmarking is not only for the volume of by 100. The factors that will services. Providers work with patients seen but also key influence the ratio are: 02 briefing 266 The non-executive directors’ guide to hospital data: part four 1. The accuracy of the observed When looking at quality of care, number of readmissions indicators like readmissions ‘Non-executives should be aware This sounds like it should be a within 30 days and length of that a longer than expected simple count: how many people stay might be considered useful. length of stay can be a result of have come back as an emergency It is possible that a higher than poor coding of co-morbidities’ admission within 30 days of expected level of readmissions discharge? However, the rules for within 30 days in a given specialty this indicator, used for the current (such as orthopaedics) indicates • HSMR – Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (Dr Foster financial penalty, include people that operations are not being Intelligence). who end up being admitted to carried out as successfully as they a different hospital within the are elsewhere. Likewise, a longer SHMI is the only measure now 30 day period, which your staff than expected length of stay on published on NHS Choices. will not be able to ‘see’ until the a specific ward might indicate central data lets them know. problems with the quality of care All three measures are usually provided – perhaps a few patients expressed as a value of 100. An 2. The way the expected number developed pressure ulcers. index above 100 indicates more of readmissions is calculated deaths than expected, whilst a There is no one single ‘correct’ However, non-executives should be lower index indicates fewer deaths way to predict the expected aware that a longer than expected than expected. The Health & number. It relies on having length of stay can also be a result Social Care Information Centre a good understanding of the of poor coding of co-morbidities. publishes SHMI slightly differently. way services are provided. For This means hospital data will It uses 1.00 as the average, which instance, are there any sub- not record how sick the patient is often multiplied by 100 to allow groups who should be excluded is. Alternatively, it could signal a comparison. for specific reasons? Looking pathway issue where a consultant at readmissions, many cancer might be making a judgement The NHS Medical Director has treatments are not carried out to a based on years of practice such made it clear that mortality fixed timetable so patients might as: “I always keep my patients in ratios are one of a number appear as readmissions when overnight”. Since indicators can of indicators that should be they are on a known treatment be skewed in this way, it is always monitored, and hospital trusts pathway and potentially should in the board’s interest to seek should not rely on a single be excluded from this indicator. assurance from divisional teams indicator. In addition, six factors The calculation then requires the where there is an outlier and, if need to be taken into account use of good statistical methods appropriate, instigate consultant- which can have a direct impact to make the ‘best’ prediction level investigation. on mortality ratios. These are: – but it is possible for two • percentage of the population different answers to be produced, Mortality indicators have taken depending on the methodology. who die in hospital as opposed on a particular importance in to outside the last few years. The three main measures currently used in • population demography ‘A high mortality ratio is England are: not necessarily a sign of • different pathways of care a poor performing trust • SHMI – Summary Hospital-level • zero length of stay emergencies from a safety perspective... Mortality Indicator (Heath & • palliative care a number of factors can Social Care Information Centre) affect an individual figure’ • data quality. • RAMI – Risk Adjusted Mortality Index (CHKS) (For more detail see www.chks.co.uk) 03 briefing 266 The non-executive directors’ guide to hospital data: part four continued discussion about their Activity data, contracting ‘One of the most effective usefulness as a predictor of the and finance ways to use mortality ratios is safety of care, it is clear that to develop a process of review We have already explained that they are a useful ‘smoke alarm’ around one measure’ the NHS contracting rules set to trigger further investigation. down the principles for which Boards must ensure they have payments should be made. Under an understanding of what the A high mortality ratio is not the standard contract, hospital indicators say about their own necessarily a sign of a poor income is determined by payment organisation and have the performing trust from a safety by results (PbR), which effectively perspective.