Thursday, April 11, 2013

Garbage In, Garbage Out: Reports Of Georgia Emergency Departments Illustrate The Old Saying

Wegsite Data For Some GA. Hospitals Are Flat Wrong by Andy Miller,  Georgia Health News.  April 9, 2013.

CMS Posts ED Wait Times, Rankling Some Hospitals.  Health Leaders Media.  March 7, 2013.

Interpreting statistical information, even when accurate, is often  difficult.    It is especially difficult when a basic error leads to a completely incorrect impression.  As a result of such an error a number of emergency departments at Georgia hospitals look far worse than they actually are.  Even as the reports now are being submitted correctly the error will linger on as the cumulative averages will include the erroneous figures.

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