Benchmarking can be used to compare the experience in areas or hospitals of your choice to the national average, state average, or to the rate in other areas or hospitals. The question being explored in the Benchmarking tool is:
what if rates in the comparison areas or hospitals were equal to rates in selected benchmarks? The table gives the populations and rates in the benchmark and comparison areas; the ratios of the rates in the comparison areas to rates in the benchmark areas; and the number of events in the comparison areas above (+) or below (-) the number predicted by the experience in the benchmark area, if the rate of the benchmark area had been attained for the residents of the comparison areas.
The last column in the Benchmarking table gives the number of events - dollars, number of days,
visits, admissions, etc. - that would or would not have taken place in the comparison area(s) or
hospital(s) if their rates had been equal to the benchmark(s). This value is calculated by subtracting
the benchmark rate from the comparison rate, and multiplying this difference by the population of the comparison area.
To calculate the surplus days during the last six months of life at UCLA compared to UCSF, the
tool calculates the difference in the rates (18.5 - 13.5 = 5.0) and multiplies the difference by
the number of patients assigned to UCLA (5.0 x 1,657) to conclude that there was a surplus of more
than 8,000 days experienced by patients assigned to UCLA Medical Center compared to the UCSF benchmark.
The Population column shows the number of people within a region that correspond with the selected indicator.
For instance, if the indicator is "Medicare Reimbursements for Hospice Services per Enrollee, by Gender" and the
selected gender is "Male", then the Population column will show the number of male Medicare enrollees within
the region.
The table is blank for one of two reasons:
- This indicator may not be available for the selected locations.
- The data may have been suppressed due to insufficient sample size.