Using the Hospital Compare tool on Medicare.gov, obtain benchmarking data on several health care facilities.

• Using the Hospital Compare tool on Medicare.gov, obtain benchmarking data on several health care facilities. Write a 3-4 page memo to the HIM director specifying the use of benchmark and comparative data in health care, the statistical data that allows for comparisons, an interpretation of the results of the comparison, and other pertinent details. Include three or more graphs, charts, or tables in the memo.
  

  Introduction

  Benchmarking is a tool for measurement as well as quality improvement. It is the process of comparing performance as a strategy to identify improvement opportunities. In this assessment, you will use an online tool called Hospitals Compare to see how various health care facilities compare to national benchmarks, then summarize your findings.

  Demonstration of Proficiency

  By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 1: Interpret health care data.
    • Interpret statistical data to reveal the types of information it provides.
    • Analyze the implications of benchmark and comparative data.
  • Competency 4: Apply statistical strategies to analyze health care data.
    • Describe the use of benchmark and comparative data.
    • Explain the statistical data that allow for comparative measures.
    • Identify users of benchmarking data.
  • Competency 5: Communicate in a professional manner to support health care data analytics.
    • Create a clear, well-organized, professional document that is generally free of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
      Follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.

  Preparation

  Vila Health wants to compare its performance to that of nearby facilities. As a Vila Health data analyst, you are responsible for accessing local hospitals’ benchmarking data and reporting your findings. To prepare for this assessment:

  • Access:
    • Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Hospital compare. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.ht…
  • Perform the following:
    • Enter your zip code under Find a hospital; click Search. This will provide you with a list of health care facilities within your zip code.
    • Select Add to Compare under Hospital Search Results for at least two facilities.
    • Click Compare Now.
    • Select one of the tabs at the top such as Survey of Patients’ Experiences or Complications & Deaths.
    • Select one of the categories from the drop-down menu.
      • If you cannot see the graphs, select Show Graphs.
    • Examine the resulting output to understand the data.

  After examining the benchmarking data, you will perform the comparisons and summarize your findings about the data in a memo to the health information management director.

  Instructions

  In a 3–4 page memo to your Vila Health HIM director, include the following headings and address the questions following each heading at a minimum:

  • Benchmark and Comparative Data
    • How can Vila Health use this specific type of benchmark and comparative data?
  • Statistical Data Allowing for Comparative Measures
    • Which kinds of statistical data allow for comparative measures? For example, consider mean and median.
    • What examples can you provide from your Compare Hospitals results to support your points?
  • Interpretation of Results
    • What types of information can Vila Health glean from these comparative measures?
    • What examples can you provide from your Hospital Compare results that support your interpretations?
    • Knowing that your director responds well to charts, graphs, and other visuals, how can you convey this information graphically?
  • Users of Benchmarking Data
    • Who are the potential users of this benchmarking data at Vila Health?
  • Data Implications
    • What are the implications of the data you have collected for Vila Health?
    • Assuming that these facilities are competitors with Vila Health, in what areas could excellent patient service give a competitive advantage to Vila Health?

  Additional Requirements

  • Length: 3–4 double-spaced pages, including at least three supporting visual elements such as charts or graphs.
  • Font: Use Times New Roman, 12 points for body of memo.
  • APA format: Use APA formatting and style guidelines for citations and references.
  • Writing: Create a clear, well-organized, and professional document that is generally free from errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

• SCORING GUIDE

  Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.VIEW SCORING GUIDE

• CRITERIANON-PERFORMANCEBASICPROFICIENTDISTINGUISHEDDescribe the use of benchmark and comparative data.Does not describe the use of benchmark and comparative data.Attempts to describe the use of benchmark and comparative data. However, omissions and/or errors exist.Describes the use of benchmark and comparative data.Describes the use of benchmark and comparative data. Description includes multiple examples, specifics, and references to current, scholarly and/or authoritative sources.Explain the statistical data that allow for comparative measures.Does not explain the statistical data that allow for comparative measures.Attempts to explain the statistical data that allow for comparative measures. However, omissions and/or errors exist.Explains the statistical data that allow for comparative measures.Explains the statistical data that allow for comparative measures. Explanation includes multiple examples, specifics, and current references to scholarly and/or authoritative sources.Interpret statistical data to reveal the types of information it provides.Does not describe statistical data.Describes but fails to interpret the statistical data.Interprets statistical data to reveal the types of information it provides.Interprets statistical data to reveal the types of information it provides. Interpretation includes an explanation of calculations, multiple examples, and specifics; interpretation is supported by current references to scholarly and/or authoritative sources.Identify users of benchmarking data.Does not identify users of benchmarking data.Attempts to identify users of benchmarking data; however, omissions and/or errors exist.Identifies users of benchmarking data.Identifies users of benchmarking data. Narrative includes multiple examples, specifics, and references to current, scholarly and/or authoritative sources.Analyze the implications of benchmark and comparative data.Does not describe the implications of benchmark and comparative data.Describes but does not analyze the implications of benchmark and comparative data.Analyzes the implications of benchmark and comparative data.Analyzes the implications of benchmark and comparative data. Analysis includes multiple examples, specifics and references to current, scholarly and/or authoritative sources.Create a clear, well-organized, professional document that is generally free of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.Does not create a clear, well-organized, professional document that is generally free of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.Attempts to create a clear, well-organized, professional document that is generally free of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. However, omissions and/or errors exist.Creates a clear, well-organized, professional document that is generally free of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.Creates a clear, well-organized, error-free, professional document. Document includes multiple examples, specifics, and references to current scholarly and/or authoritative sources.Follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.Does not follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.Attempts to follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references. However, omissions and/or errors exist.Follows APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.Follows APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references without errors.

Answer preview

Healthcare institutions play a fundamental role in societal improvement by providing essential services necessary for maintaining good health among the populations they serve. Medical practice has grown tremendously over the years, with knowledge becoming more available. However, the internet and other technological avenues are no substitutes for the immense value that benchmarking provides to the profession’s development. Benchmarking helps organizations gauge how good they are and note the areas where an organization can improve and attain better service delivery. The government has mediated the gap between general knowledge and comparative analytics through the Medicare.gov website, which provides various benchmarks to compare facilities. This paper summarizes the government website’s findings that offer benchmarks on different hospitals in Miami, Florida, Zip Code 33172

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