hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR)

HSMR

The hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) is an important measure to support efforts to improve patient safety and quality of care in Canadian hospitals. The HSMR compares the actual number of deaths in a hospital with the average Canadian experience, after adjusting for several factors that may affect in-hospital mortality rates, such as the age, sex, diagnosis and admission status of patients. The ratio provides a starting point to assess mortality rates and identify areas for improvement to help reduce hospital deaths.

The HSMR was developed in the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s and has been used in the Netherlands and the United States. When tracked over time, the ratio can be a motivator for change by indicating how successful hospitals and health regions have been in reducing inpatient deaths—leading to improved patient care. CIHI has led the effort in calculating HSMRs for Canada and publishes results for eligible facilities and regions in all provinces outside Quebec.

full-text:
hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR)