Standards for statistical models used for public reporting of health outcomes: an American Heart Association Scientific Statement from the Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Writing Group: cosponsored by the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention and the Stroke Council. Endorsed by the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Circulation. 2006 Jan 24;113(3):456-62. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.170769. Epub 2005 Dec 19.

Abstract

With the proliferation of efforts to report publicly the outcomes of healthcare providers and institutions, there is a growing need to define standards for the methods that are being employed. An interdisciplinary writing group identified 7 preferred attributes of statistical models used for publicly reported outcomes. These attributes include (1) clear and explicit definition of an appropriate patient sample, (2) clinical coherence of model variables, (3) sufficiently high-quality and timely data, (4) designation of an appropriate reference time before which covariates are derived and after which outcomes are measured, (5) use of an appropriate outcome and a standardized period of outcome assessment, (6) application of an analytical approach that takes into account the multilevel organization of data, and (7) disclosure of the methods used to compare outcomes, including disclosure of performance of risk-adjustment methodology in derivation and validation samples.

Publication types

  • Guideline

MeSH terms

  • American Heart Association
  • Humans
  • Models, Statistical*
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / standards*
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Public Health Informatics / standards
  • Public Health Informatics / statistics & numerical data
  • Quality of Health Care / standards*
  • Quality of Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Assessment / standards*
  • Risk Assessment / statistics & numerical data
  • Stroke / epidemiology*
  • Stroke / prevention & control
  • United States / epidemiology