National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports (NHQDR)

Trending information is available for NHQDR quality measures with at least four years of data. The time span can vary across measures. Trends are only reported as improving or worsening if the average annual percent change is at least one percent and statistically significant.

The quality measures are compared to achievable benchmarks, which are derived from the top-performing States. Better performance of a State can mean higher or lower values of a measure, depending on the desired outcome. For example, low values are desirable for measures such as infant mortality, whereas high values are desirable for measures such as preventative screening.

The quality measures are compared to achievable benchmarks, which are derived from the top-performing States. Better performance of a State can mean higher or lower values of a measure, depending on the desired outcome.

The National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (NHQDR) focuses on “prevailing disparities in health care delivery as it relates to racial factors and socioeconomic factors in priority populations” (42 U.S.C. 299a-1(a)(6)). Therefore, data summaries are provided below to facilitate comparison of these factors.

The quality measures are compared to achievable benchmarks, which are derived from the top-performing States. Better performance of a State can mean higher or lower values of a measure, depending on the desired outcome.

NASEM defines access to health care as having the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes. Measures of access to care include having health insurance, having a usual source of care, encountering difficulties when seeking care, and receiving care as soon as wanted.

Affordable care means ensuring affordable and accessible high-quality healthcare for all. Measures of affordable care include measures of the financial burden of healthcare and delayed care or not receiving care because of cost.

Data assessing the performance of the U.S. health care system in coordinating care across providers or services. Care coordination means having a healthcare system that is less fragmented and more organized, where handoffs are clear and patients and clinicians have the information they need. Measures of care coordination include measures of transition of care, sharing medication information, potentially avoidable hospitalization and ED visits.

The most effective prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality. Effective care means delivering optimal treatments for acute illness to help reduce the consequences of illness and promote the best recovery possible. The effective treatment measures include measures for preventive care, treatment of acute illness, and chronic disease management.

Healthy living focuses on healthcare practices that help people maintain healthy lifestyles. Measures of healthy living include measures for clinical preventive services, maternal and child healthcare, and obesity and smoking prevention.

Patient Safety means making care safer by reducing harm caused in the delivery of care. Measures of patient safety include measures related to healthcare associated infections, adverse drug events, and birth-related complications.

Ensuring that each person and family is engaged as partners in their care. Person-centered care means defining success not just by the resolution of clinical symptoms but also by whether patients achieve their desired outcomes. Some examples of person-centered care include ensuring that patients’ preferences, desired outcomes, and experiences of care are integrated into care delivery; integrating patient-generated data in electronic health records; and finding additional ways to involve patients and families in managing their care effectively.

In the State Snapshot Dashboard comparison, the NHQDR measures by State  for the most recent data year and the baseline year are compared to the average of all States.

The meter(s) represent the selected State’s balance of below average, average, and above average measures compared to all States. The performance meter(s) have five categories: very weak, weak, average, strong, and very strong. A category of “very weak” means all or nearly all included measures for a State are below average within a given data year. A category “very strong” indicates that all or nearly all available measures for a State are above average within a given data year.

For the specific measures in the bars below, an arrow pointing to “very weak” means all or nearly all included measures for a State are below average within a given data year. An arrow pointing to “very strong” indicates that all or nearly all available measures for a State are above average within a given data year. Refer to the methodology for additional detail on score calculations.

Strongest Measures are those where the state is closest to or most exceeding the benchmarks. These measures may highlight areas where the state is performing well. Weakest Measures are those where the state is farthest from the benchmarks. These measures may highlight opportunities for improvement.

The top five performing quality measures and the bottom five performing quality measures are listed for your selected State under the ‘‘Strongest & Weakest’’.

The NHQDR quality measures are compared to achievable benchmarks, which are derived from the top-performing States. Better performance of a State can mean higher or lower values of a measure, depending on the desired outcome. For example, low values are desirable for measures such as infant mortality, whereas high values are desirable for measures such as preventative screening.

Tip: Not all States have all Measures for all Subject Areas and Topics. Ensure to select values for State, Subject Area, and Topic for results.

The quality measures are compared to achievable benchmarks, which are derived from the top-performing States. Better performance of a State can mean higher or lower values of a measure, depending on the desired outcome. For example, low values are desirable for measures such as infant mortality, whereas high values are desirable for measures such as preventative screening. Note, some comparisons may not be available if populations sampled for the underlying data are too small to report.

The National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (NHQDR) focuses on “prevailing disparities in health care delivery as it relates to racial factors and socioeconomic factors in priority populations” (42 U.S.C. 299a-1(a)(6)). Therefore, data summaries are provided below to facilitate comparison of these factors.

The quality measures are compared to achievable benchmarks, which are derived from the top-performing States. Better performance of a State can mean higher or lower values of a measure, depending on the desired outcome. Note, some comparisons may not be available if populations sampled for the underlying data are too small to report.

NASEM defines access to health care as having the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes. Measures of access to care include having health insurance, having a usual source of care, encountering difficulties when seeking care, and receiving care as soon as wanted.

Affordable care means ensuring affordable and accessible high-quality healthcare for all. Measures of affordable care include measures of the financial burden of healthcare and delayed care or not receiving care because of cost.

Data assessing the performance of the U.S. health care system in coordinating care across providers or services. Care coordination means having a healthcare system that is less fragmented and more organized, where handoffs are clear and patients and clinicians have the information they need. Measures of care coordination include measures of transition of care, sharing medication information, potentially avoidable hospitalization and ED visits.

The most effective prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality. Effective care means delivering optimal treatments for acute illness to help reduce the consequences of illness and promote the best recovery possible. The effective treatment measures include measures for preventive care, treatment of acute illness, and chronic disease management.

Healthy living focuses on healthcare practices that help people maintain healthy lifestyles. Measures of healthy living include measures for clinical preventive services, maternal and child healthcare, and obesity and smoking prevention.

Patient Safety means making care safer by reducing harm caused in the delivery of care. Measures of patient safety include measures related to healthcare associated infections, adverse drug events, and birth-related complications.

Ensuring that each person and family is engaged as partners in their care. Person-centered care means defining success not just by the resolution of clinical symptoms but also by whether patients achieve their desired outcomes. Some examples of person-centered care include ensuring that patients’ preferences, desired outcomes, and experiences of care are integrated into care delivery; integrating patient-generated data in electronic health records; and finding additional ways to involve patients and families in managing their care effectively.

NASEM defines access to health care as having the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes. Measures of access to care include having health insurance, having a usual source of care, encountering difficulties when seeking care, and receiving care as soon as wanted.

Affordable care means ensuring affordable and accessible high-quality healthcare for all. Measures of affordable care include measures of the financial burden of healthcare and delayed care or not receiving care because of cost.

Data assessing the performance of the U.S. health care system in coordinating care across providers or services. Care coordination means having a healthcare system that is less fragmented and more organized, where handoffs are clear and patients and clinicians have the information they need. Measures of care coordination include measures of transition of care, sharing medication information, potentially avoidable hospitalization and ED visits.

The most effective prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality. Effective care means delivering optimal treatments for acute illness to help reduce the consequences of illness and promote the best recovery possible. The effective treatment measures include measures for preventive care, treatment of acute illness, and chronic disease management.

Healthy living focuses on healthcare practices that help people maintain healthy lifestyles. Measures of healthy living include measures for clinical preventive services, maternal and child healthcare, and obesity and smoking prevention.

Patient Safety means making care safer by reducing harm caused in the delivery of care. Measures of patient safety include measures related to healthcare associated infections, adverse drug events, and birth-related complications.

Ensuring that each person and family is engaged as partners in their care. Person-centered care means defining success not just by the resolution of clinical symptoms but also by whether patients achieve their desired outcomes. Some examples of person-centered care include ensuring that patients’ preferences, desired outcomes, and experiences of care are integrated into care delivery; integrating patient-generated data in electronic health records; and finding additional ways to involve patients and families in managing their care effectively.