Abstract
Evaluation of the quality of medical care, involving comparison among multiple medical facilities, is possible, if a clear definition is provided for each clinical indicator and the data extraction method is standardized. In Japan, an attempt to conduct this kind of evaluation utilizing Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data as common data for acute care hospitals has been started. The National Hospital Organization has made public the logic behind such an attempt. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the quality of medical care at acute care hospitals, including analysis in relation to the hospital scale (number of beds), with the use of clinical indicators prepared by the National Hospital Organization. The results of this study indicated the necessity of evidence- and guideline-based standardization of the timing to start early rehabilitation, and to end prophylactic use of antimicrobial agents at hospitals covered or planned to be covered by the DPC data scheme which participated in our study. It would also be desirable to analyze the association between the number of patients and the status of each clinical indicator.
