Enhanced risk adjustment improves hospital benchmarking accuracy

A new methodology allows for risk adjustments using multiple CPT codes instead of just the principal code in hospital benchmarking. Analysis of 994,332 patient cases revealed that hospitals reporting more CPT codes generally had improved benchmarking outcomes across 13 of 14 measures. In contrast, hospitals using only the principal code had advantages when assessed solely on that basis. This approach creates a more balanced risk assessment, particularly important for hospitals performing multiple procedures.