Interpreting HCFA mortality data for the public.

ABSTRACT

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has released mortality data for hospitals to the public. Administrators of hospitals designated by HCFA as mortality outliers have to respond to negative press, the concerns of their medical staffs, and inquiries from employers and third-party payers. D. Michael Waggoner, MD, explains the numbers and suggests how hospitals can respond.