Inpatient Quality Indicators Download 

User Guide and Technical Specification

The User Guide and Technical Specification provide direction on the rationale of the Inpatient Quality Indicators (IQIs). It also provides an overview of the methods used to identify, select, and evaluate the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Quality Indicators (QIs), a summary of the literature based evidence, empirical rates based on the State Inpatient Databases, and detailed definitions for each IQI. Potential users of this document include hospitals, State data organizations, and hospital associations.

• Inpatient Quality Indicators (IQI) Brochure, February 2006

• Guide to Inpatient Quality Indicators, Ver. 3.1, March 2007

• Inpatient Quality Indicators Technical Specifications, Ver. 3.2a, March 2008

• IQI Comparative Data for Provider Indicators, Ver. 3.1

• IQI Comparative Data for Area Indicators, Ver. 3.1

Software

• Link to AHRQ QI Software Download

Covariates Used in Risk Adjustment

Two sets of covariates are  provided for the IQIs.  One group is based on a reference population that includes "Present on Admission" data (new in v3.1), and the other does not.  The two versions correspond to the two selections you may make within the QI software.  (SAS Control file, WinQI is determined automatically based on the loaded data.)

• IQI Covariates, Ver 3.1

• IQI Covariates with POA, Ver 3.1

Change Documents

IQI Change Log:  The Change Log document provides a cumulative summary of all changes made to the IQI software, software documentation and user guide since the original release of these documents in November 2001.  Previous years' coding changes can be found on the IQI Archive page.

• Change Log to IQI Guide and Software, September 2003 - Present

  • IQI Change Log
     

• Fiscal year 2008 coding changes (effective October 1, 2007)

  • IQI FY2008 Indicator Changes

Technical Documentation

The technical review of research underlying the development of the quality indicators is available here.  The Prevention Quality Indicators and Inpatient Quality Indicators were developed from the HCUP Quality Indicators.  The research is summarized along with revisions in the IQI Guide that may be downloaded above.

• Refinement of the HCUP Quality Indicators (Technical Review), May 2001
  • Zipped — 749 KB
  • File Inventory
• Refinement of the HCUP Quality Indicators (Summary), May 2001
  • Word® Format — 255 KB
  • PDF Format — 260 KB | (PDF help)
     
• Inpatient Quality Indicators (IQI) Composite Measure Workgroup Final Report, March 2008
  • PDF format - 7.6 MB | (PDF help)

• HCUP Quality Indicators (Archived for historical purposes)

Documentation in Microsoft Word® Format

• IQI Guide

• IQI Technical Specifications

• IQI FY2008 Indicator Changes