Appendix F Footnotes

Tables F.1 and F.2 Footnotes for NHQR quality measures for all conditions when available by State,

^a Symbols for significance test are:
   + = greater than national average and statistically significant at the p<0.05 level
   - = less than national average and statistically significant at the p<0.05 level
   ns = not significant (i.e., not statistically different than the national average)
   n/a = either the national or State rate or standard error was not available
^b Measure is age adjusted to the 2000 standard population.
^c 1990-based postcensal population estimates were used to calculate death rates; future reports will present rates based on intercensal population estimates for 1998 and 1999 and bridged-race population estimates for 2000 and subsequent years
^d Population includes males only
^e Population includes females only
^f Prevalent dialysis patients on list on 12/31/YR divided by prevalent dialysis patients on 12/31/YR
^g All Medicare dialysis patients who initiated therapy in the given year were included
^h Patients with prior kidney transplants and patients over the age of 69 were excluded from the measure
ⁱⁱ Percents are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier methodology
^j Follow-up is censored at removal from the list, death, or the end of the three year period
^k Patient survival rate is measured as standardized mortality ratio (SMR) by source of the data
^l Population is Medicare patients only.
^m Time in minutes from arrival to initiation of a thrombolytic agent in patients with ST segment elevation or left bundle branch block (LBBB) on the electrocardiogram (ECG) performed closest to hospital arrival time.
ⁿ Median time in minutes from arrival to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) in patients with ST segment elevation or left bundle branch block (LBBB) on the electrocardiogram (ECG) performed closest to hospital arrival time.
^o Includes only those with liveborn infants
^p Percent of children, age 19 to 35 months, receiving at least four doses of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP), at least three doses of polio, at least one dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), at least three doses of Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib), and at least three doses of hepatitis B antigens.
^q Pain during a 7 day period that was excruciating at any time or moderate, among residents experiencing daily pain.
^r For period 4/1/02 to 6/30/02.
^s A facility had to have at least 20 residents in the denominator for a post-acute measure to be calculated and 30 residents in the denominator for a chronic care measure to be calculated. Therefore the number of facilities may vary for each measure reported in a State.
^t At least 1 of 4 late-loss ADLs (bed mobility, transfers, toilet use and eating).
^u This percentage is composite of data from the quarterly and annual MDS assessment forms completed for residents. The annual MDS form contains data on multiple types of infections.
^v U.S. estimate reflects the average of the States with measures.
^w For period 1/1/02 to 6/30/02.
^x Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who get better at getting dressed.
^y Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who get better at taking their medicines correctly (by mouth).
^z Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who get better at bathing.
^aa Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who stay the same or don't get worse at bathing.
^bb Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who get better at getting in and out of bed.
^cc Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who get better at walking or moving around.
^dd Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who get better at getting to and from the toilet.
^ee Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who have less pain when moving around.
^ff Consumer language for this measure is: Percentage of patients who are short of breath less often. The CMS report results of testing this language is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/quality/hhqi/OASISPhaseI.pdf.
^gg Consumer language for this measure is: Percentage of patients who are having less of a problem with urinary incontinence or wetting themselves. The CMS report results of testing this language is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/quality/hhqi/OASISPhaseI.pdf.
^hh Consumer language used on the Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who are confused less often.
ⁱⁱ Consumer language used on the CMS Home Health Compare Web site for this measure is: Percentage of patients who had to be admitted to the hospital.
^jj The national average includes Puerto Rico.
^kk The national average includes the Virgin Islands.
^ll The national average includes Guam.