Exploring variations in hospital performance -an international perspective

摘要

National efforts to profile hospital quality have been transitioning from a focus on measuring health care processes to the assessment of outcomes in order to provide a broader perspective on organizational performance. The OECD has supported this transition through the publication of a number of national hospital performance indicators for member countries. One such measure is the 30-day Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) mortality rate. While the mortality rates for AMI patients are decreasing over time, significant international variation persists. Recent OECD work also shows large performance variation on the hospital level within countries.Many countries are beginning to shift towards integrated systems of care, encompassing care before, during and after hospitalization, to improve quality outcomes for both hospitals and patients.