Using MedPAR Data as a Measure of Urinary Tract Infection Rates: Implications for the Medicare Inpatient DRG Payment System
Abstract
A valuable metric of hospital performance is the rate of nosocomial infections, particularly urinary tract infections (UTIs). Current measurement techniques are expensive to administer and are not widely available. Determining a measurement index of nosocomial UTI incidence using Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data to make recommendations may better align hospital payment with delivery of quality healthcare.