Measure Source

University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center, Unit Specific Report.

Table

1.32 Patient survival rate for dialysis patients, by State, 2000 and 2003.

Data Source

The University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center.

Denominator

Medicare dialysis patients.

Numerator

Standardized mortality among the denominator population.

Comments

Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) are used to compare mortality in annual incident populations over successive years of observation. The death rates are high during the first year of treatment, lower during the second and third years, and rise again after the fourth year.

Note: that the Dialysis Facility Compare measure "patient survival rate" is equivalent to the University of Michigan SMR.