Risk Adjustment: How Outcomes are Measured

It is misleading to simply compare the risk of dying after surgery between hospitals. There are significant differences in the types surgeries at different hospitals based on factors such as a patient's age and complexity of heart defect. Measuring outcomes by attempting to account for these factors is a method called risk adjustment. However, there is no standard way to adjust for these differences. The results presented here for the Benchmark Procedures are not risk-adjusted. Read our full statement on risk adjustment for more information.