The Hospital Compare Web site (www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/) was updated yesterday to include mortality data for heart attack and heart failure patients. The data show consumers how heart attack and heart failure patients fared 30 days after admission to a hospital, including time after discharge. Hospitals are grouped as the same, better or worse than the national mortality rate for the two conditions.
The rates are calculated using risk-adjustment that takes into account one year of billing history for each patient.
As reported on AHA News Now, also added to the Web site were additional data on steps hospitals have taken to prevent surgical infections and pneumonia.