*NRI: Reading A Comparison Chart – Guidance for Users (PDF) [REF: NRI, PI] Technical Notes, April 14, 2016, Pg 5 published by the Behavioral Healthcare Performance Measurement System of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute, Inc. (NRI) NRi1604_B6

     Last month we presented initial guidance on reading a control chart. A control chart is based solely on a facility’s data. It provides a first look at the process related to a measure, identifying potential trending or uncharacteristic performance. This month we begin looking at comparison charts.
Comparison charts incorporate facility measure data with another entity or entities data to display a sense of how the facility compares with others on a specific measure. There are several ways that comparison groups can be defined and this is important to understand when interpreting the comparison results. The most used comparison group includes all other entities that report on the same measure to central repository. For state operated psychiatric hospitals, NRI is that central repository.
The most frequently used comparison chart by facilities participating with NRI is the Comparative Statistics Report. Below is a sample graph. The chart displays a facility rate (green), a state average rate (blue), and an overall average rate for all participating

facilities (black). Using only the averages displayed in the chart, a facility would make a qualitative assessment of whether the facility’s performance on the specific measure is “good enough” compared to the other groups. Other comparison charts provide statistical testing of whether the rates are truly different; although there is still a component of clinical judgement that must be used. Future issues of Technical Notes will discuss these other reports and other attributes of comparisons.