The outcome for this measure is 30-day, all-cause mortality. Mortality is defined as death from any cause, either during or after admission, within 30 days of the index admission date.

The cohort includes inpatient admissions for a wide variety of conditions for Medicare FFS patients aged between 65 and 94 years old who were admitted to short-term acute care hospitals. If a patient has more than one admission during the measurement year, one admission is randomly selected for inclusion in the measure.

The measure excludes index admissions for patients:

1. With inconsistent or unknown vital status (from claims data) or other unreliable claims data;

2. Discharged against medical advice (AMA);

3. With an admission for spinal cord injury (CCS 227), skull and face fractures (CCS 228), Intracranial Injury (CCS 233), Crushing injury or internal injury (CCS 234), Open wounds of head/neck/trunk (CCS 235), and burns (CCS 240); and

4. With a principal discharge diagnosis within a CCS with fewer than 100 admissions within the measurement year.

Claims data for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) patients, age 65-94

National Quality Forum 2022 Key Rural Measures: An Update List of Measures to Advance Rural Health Priorities, Draft 1, page 1-26

Download from: www.qualityforum.org/Publications/2022/08/2022KeyRural_Measures__An_Updated_List_of_Measures_to_Advance_Rural_Health_Priorities.aspx

Technical Specifications: p4qm.org/measures/3504