Repeat Hospital Stays for Mental Health and Substance Use

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Care Transitions
Country
Canada
Publishing Organisation
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
Type of Quality Indicator
Outcome
IOM Quality Dimension
Effectiveness
Domain
Hospitalisation

Defining Attributes

Definition

Risk-adjusted percentage of individuals who had 3 or more episodes of care for mental health and substance use (MHSU) disorders among all those who had at least one episode of care for MHSU disorders in general or psychiatric hospitals within a given year.

Numerator

Total number of individuals in the denominator who had at least 3 episodes of care for MHSU disorders in a 1-year period. Each individual has a 12-month look-back period prior to their most recent episode of care in a given year, thus requires data for 2 fiscal years.

Denominator

Total number of individuals who had at least one episode of care for MHSU disorders in a 1-year period. The most recent episode of care in a fiscal year is the index episode of care.

Exclusions

Records with an invalid health card number/invalid code for province issuing health card number/missing age/invalid admission date/invalid discharge date; Cadaveric donor or stillbirth records; Records with a discharge status of dead on arrival; Medical assistance in dying.

Use of Risk Adjustment
Yes
Risk Adjustments

Sex, age group, discharged against medical advice, mental health diagnosis, psychiatric hospital (vs general hospital).

Stratifications

Neighbourhood income quintile; Urban versus rural/remote.

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods

Discharge Abstract Database, Hospital Morbidity Database, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and Ontario Mental Health Reporting System.

Frequency of Data Collection
Quarterly submission targets of 60 days after the end of each quarter
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
91
Reporting Methods

CIHI website: The Health Indicators e-Publication (at regional, provincial/territorial and national levels, calculated by place of residence), and webtool Your Health System: In Brief (available to public).

Reporting Frequency
Annually
Reporting Frequency in Days
365
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
12 March 2025