Quality Measures

The hospital quality measures on this website show recommended care for some of the most common and costly conditions that hospitals treat. Research has shown that these treatments provide the best results for most adults with those conditions and are an important part of the patients' overall care.

Hospitals, doctors, scientists, and other health care professionals agree that these quality measures give a good snapshot of how well hospitals provide these specific types of care. Hospitals should try to give all of their patients the recommended care when it is appropriate. The goal for each measure is 100 percent.

A hospital’s quality is more than just its scores on these measures. Hospitals provide care for other illnesses and conditions for which measures are still under development. A hospital should be able to tell you what steps it is taking to improve its care. The information you will find on this website is intended to help you start a conversation with your physician or hospital about how you can best get the care you need.

Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)

Prophylactic Antibiotic Received Within One Hour Prior To Surgery

Why is this important?

Antibiotics are medicines to prevent and treat infections. Research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their operation are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective. This shows how often hospitals make sure surgery patients get antibiotics at the right time.

Higher percentages are better.

View Surgical Care Improvement Project Report

For more information about Surgical Care Improvement Project, click here.

Prophylactic Antibiotic Selection



A goal of prophylaxis with antibiotics is to use an agent that is safe, inexpensive, and has a spectrum of action that covers most of the probable intraoperative contaminants for the operation.

Patients undergoing the following procedures are included:

• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)


• Other cardiac surgery


• Colon surgery


• Hip arthroplasty


• Knee arthroplasty


• Abdominal hysterectomy


• Vaginal hysterectomy


• Vascular surgery

Prophylactic Antibiotic Discontinued Within 24 Hours After Surgery

Why is this Important?

Antibiotics are medicines to prevent and treat infections. While the likelihood of infection after surgery can be reduced by giving patients preventative antibiotics, taking these antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery is usually not necessary and can increase the risk of side effects such as stomach aches, serious types of diarrhea, and antibiotic resistance (when antibiotics are used too much, they will not work anymore.) There are exceptions - for example, where the surgical site has been contaminated (making the surgery not routine). Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how long you should take antibiotics after surgery.

Higher percentages are better.

View Surgical Care Improvement Project Report

For more information about Surgical Care Improvement Project, click here.

Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Ordered

Why is this important?

This measure tells how often surgery patient's doctors ordered treatment to prevent blood clots from forming in the veins after surgeries.

Treatment to prevent blood clots may include blood thinning medications, elastic stockings, or mechanical air stockings that promote circulation in the legs.

Blood clots can limit blood flow, causing swelling, redness and pain. Most commonly, clots occur in the legs, thighs, or pelvis. If a part or all of the clot breaks off from where it was formed, it can travel through the veins. The part that breaks off is called an embolus. If the embolus lodges in the lung, it is called a pulmonary embolism, a serious condition that can cause death.

Higher percentages are better.

For more information about Surgical Care Improvement Project, click here

Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Received

Why is this important?

This measure tells how often surgery patients received treatment to prevent blood clots from forming in the veins, with within 24 hours before or after certain surgeries.

Treatment to prevent blood clots may include blood thinning medications, elastic stockings, or mechanical air stockings that promote circulation in the legs.

Blood clots can limit blood flow, causing swelling, redness and pain. Most commonly, clots occur in the legs, thighs, or pelvis. If a part or all of the clot breaks off from where it was formed, it can travel through the veins. The part that breaks off is called an embolus. If the embolus lodges in the lung, it is called a pulmonary embolism, a serious condition that can cause death.

Higher percentages are better.

For more information about Surgical Care Improvement Project, click here

Controlled 6AM Postop Serum Glucose

Why is this Important?

This measure is used to assess the percent of cardiac surgery patients with controlled 6 A.M. blood glucose (less than or equal to 200 mg/dL) on postoperative day one (POD 1) and postoperative day two (POD 2) with Surgery End Date being postoperative day zero (POD 0).

Hyperglycemia has been associated with increased in-hospital morbidity and mortality for multiple medical and surgical conditions. Hyperglycemia is a risk factor that, once identified, could minimize adverse outcomes for cardiac surgical patients.

View Surgical Care Improvement Project Report

For more information about Surgical Care Improvement Project, click here.

Appropriate Hair Removal

Why is this Important?

This measure is used to assess the percent of surgery patients with appropriate* surgical site hair removal.

*No hair removal, or hair removal with clippers or depilatory is considered appropriate. Shaving is considered inappropriate.

Studies show that shaving causes multiple skin abrasions that later may become infected. The evidence recommends depilatory or electric clippers immediately prior to surgery when hair removal was required. Clippers, used on the morning of surgery, results in reduced surgical site infections and healthcare expenditures.

View Surgical Care Improvement Project Report

For more information about Surgical Care Improvement Project, click here.

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Be careful when drawing conclusions from this information.

• Small numbers of patients may distort reported performance.
• Patients must meet specific national medical criteria to be in this report.

Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about your treatment.