Career Development : Calendar

AHCJ members: Opportunity to learn about just-released outpatient outcome data

07/07/10     Conference call

In a conference call with AHCJ members, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced new data that will allow you to track the outpatient outcomes at your hospitals. The data release comes is the latest addition to the agency's Hospital Compare database. The data will help you determine:

  • How efficiently facilities use imaging equipment and keep patients safe from exposure to potentially harmful, unnecessary radiation.
  • Rates of outpatient MRIs for lower back pain
  • Rates of outpatient re-tests after a screening mammogram
  • How frequently outpatient departments gave patients "double" computed tomography (CT) scans when a single scan may be all that is needed
  • How well outpatients are treated for suspected heart attacks
  • How well outpatient surgical patients are protected from infection

CMS experts Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator, and Dr. Barry Straube, chief medical officer, discussed the data.

Audio   Download a recording of the conference call. 
  [MP3, 10MB]

News stories about the data