Can the indicators be grouped together for analysis?
Yes, theoretically the indicators can be grouped together, however, the AHRQ QIs software does not arithmetically combine indicators together nor does it provide summary measures across all of the indicators. Simple arithmetic combinations of indicator values may obscure valuable information conveyed in the values of individual indicators. We encourage users to examine individual indicators, together with other potentially related indicators, in the context of their specific needs. For example, some users may be interested in examining a set of indicators by clinical domain (e.g., cardiovascular care, diabetes care), comparing volume and outcome measures, or analyzing indicators by service area (e.g., pediatric, surgical, medical). Considering the result of each individual indicator in the context of related indicators can increase understanding of quality of care as measured by the AHRQ QI. AHRQ is conducting workgroups to determine the best methods for creating composite measures of
