The AAHKS Risk Adjustment Task Force developed this checklist to capture variables known to influence outcomes.
For three years, the AAHKS Risk Adjustment Task Force has been working with CMS and the Yale Outcomes Group to improve the risk adjustment models used in TJA performance measures. The goal of performance measures is to give surgeons an accurate assessment of their performance, while controlling for patient factors outside the control of providers. The current TJA performance measures being reported on HospitalCompare.gov are based on administrative claims data; therefore, unless those risk factors that are known to influence outcomes (e.g. smoking, obesity) are captured in the administrative record, your outcomes will not be properly risk adjusted.
We need to begin to document important clinical risk factors for lower extremity arthroplasty and have them tested to see if they improve the current risk model. The Task Force has created an easy-to-use checklist and instructions to download and begin using. Learn more, and get started today.