Your institution has identified a recent rise in postsurgical infection rates.As part of your QI analysis,you are interested in determining how your infection rates compare with those of institutions of similar size and patient demographics.Such a determination is known as:
A) Quality assurance.
B) Sentinel data.
C) Benchmarking.
D) Statistical analysis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Benchmarking involves comparing one's performance or outcomes with those of similar organizations, with the goal of identifying areas for improvement. This is exactly what is being sought in this scenario, as the institution is interested in comparing its infection rates with those of other institutions with similar characteristics. Quality assurance involves monitoring and evaluating processes to ensure quality outcomes, whereas sentinel data are specific types of data used for surveillance of particular health events or trends. Statistical analysis could be used as a tool in benchmarking, but it is not the overarching approach.

Your Institution Has Identified a Recent Rise in Postsurgical Infection