Risk-adjusted outcomes were calculated after adjusting for population factors, co-morbidities, and health system factors. Even after risk-adjustment, there exists large geographical variation in outcomes
That means they adjust for things like that heart attacks in 80-year-olds are more likely fatal than in 40-year-olds, so a hospital serving mostly the former is expected to have a lower survival rate for heart attack patients.
They are trying to measure differences in effectiveness for similar patients. GP gives a possible explanation for such a difference : the hospital probably gets good at the kinds of things it does a lot.
They are trying to measure differences in effectiveness for similar patients. GP gives a possible explanation for such a difference : the hospital probably gets good at the kinds of things it does a lot.