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 What is the Mortality Inpatient Quality Indicator (IQI)?
 The mortality measure used in this section of the web site is part of a set of measures called Inpatient Quality Indicators (IQIs). The IQIs were developed at the national level by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ). AHRQ spent years of research and analysis before defining these measures.
This web site focuses on the IQI mortality (death) for four medical conditions: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and stroke. Mortality measures show patient death rates after patients with one of these conditions received treatment while staying in the hospital. Mortality is considered an Outcome of Care Measure.
Lower mortality rates indicate fewer deaths. Unlike Recommended Care/Process of Care Measures, lower mortality rates are better. High mortality rates may indicate deficiencies in the quality of care at that particular hospital.
For more statistical analysis, view NJ’s report on Inpatient Quality Indicators, July 2007, which is based on 2005 hospital data. Please keep in mind that the data in the report will be different than the data on the web site.
Where does the data come from?
The IQI measures are based on data submitted by hospitals from their medical records (hospital discharges). Hospital discharges contain basic information on a patient (example: age, sex, race) and the reasons why a patient is in the hospital (called disease diagnoses). It also contains information on the procedures performed or treatment given to the patient and the results/outcomes of the procedures or treatments.
To use the IQIs, NJDHSS used software developed by AHRQ and applied data from all NJ general acute care hospital inpatient discharges for 2008.
What exactly does the Mortality IQI on this web site measure?
This web site focuses on Mortality (death) for four inpatient conditions: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and stroke. Mortality is shown as the rate of patient deaths within a hospital. The mortality rate is based on the number of deaths occurring out of the total number of eligible patients 18 years or older who have been admitted for one of the four conditions.
Using a statistical method called “risk adjustment”, NJDHSS has adjusted the data to take into account different patient characteristics. For example, if the patient has a chronic illness before entering the hospital, this condition may increase the risk of that patient surviving the procedure or treatment. Advanced age is another example of a patient characteristic that may increase the risk of surviving the procedure or treatment. Hospitals that treat sicker or older patients may be unfairly compared to other hospitals with healthier patients. This adjustment standardizes the data and allows all the hospitals to be measured equally.
The risk adjustment process for the IQIs was defined by AHRQ. For more technical information on risk adjustments and how the mortality rate is calculated, visit the NJ Report, Inpatient Quality Indicators, July 2007, which is based on 2005 data.
Please keep in mind that the data in the report will be different than the data on the web site.
How can I use these measures?
You can use this information to assess the quality of care inside a hospital, which is useful when making decisions about where to go for treatment. This information, however, is not intended to be used alone when making these decisions. Consider the results of all the different data sources that measure quality of care within a hospital.
Since IQIs use hospital inpatient discharge data, hospitals can use the IQIs to identify areas within the hospital that need improvement. (For more detail on the kind of data used, refer to Inpatient Quality Indicators, July 2007, which is based on 2005 data.)
| Mortality Conditions |
National Importance |
| Heart Attack or Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) |
Leads to approximately 151,000 deaths, 610,000 new attacks and 324 recurrent attacks annually and affects 1.2 million people each year. Approximately 9.8 million people live with this condition. |
| Pneumonia |
Accounts for 1.2 million discharges from hospitals, is the second most common hospital-associated infection and a major cause of death each year (approximately 55,000). |
| Heart Failure |
Results in about 1 million annual hospital admissions and approximately 300,000 deaths per year; the most common reason for admission for patients 65 and older. Approximately 5.8 million people live with this condition. |
| Stroke |
Responsible for 780,000 new and recurrent attacks annually, of which over 150,000 die; the third leading cause of death. |
 Basic Facts about the Mortality Inpatient Quality Indicator (IQI) for Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Pneumonia and Stroke
Using the Information on this Website
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