The researchers compared data from the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network database to hospital insurance claims data for infections after colon surgery in 155 hospitals.
The study revealed significant discrepancies between the two data sources, particularly among hospitals in the South and those that care for more Medicaid patients and highlighted the CDC database’s importance for determining hospital quality.
A single, agreed-upon national set of definitions and data is of greater importance for public reporting and value-based payment programs than hospital claims data, the researchers concluded.
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