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Safety and quality of care dashboard

We publish a dashboard that looks at safety and quality of care in hospitals in relation to serious incidents, infection control, outbreaks and readmissions.

The safety and quality of care dashboard uses data we gather for our management data reports.

The data is preliminary data. It may change in the future, after we validate it. But it is a good indicator of activity based on the latest information we have.

View the dashboard

How we use this data

We use this report to:

  • monitor safety and quality of care activity against key performance indicators (KPIs)
  • update the Department of Health on safety and quality of care activity

The safety and quality of care dashboard is published before the management data reports. It allows us to share data much quicker than before.

How to read the dashboard

The dashboard shows an overview of the national performance based 9 KPIs.

Each KPI is grouped by:

  • length of stay
  • surgery
  • healthcare associated infections
  • medical

Select each individual KPI for a:

  • a breakdown for each acute hospital
  • comparison for each acute hospital against the national average
  • monthly trends
  • more information on the KPI

Length of stay

Average length of stay - inpatient discharges

Full title

Average length of stay (ALOS) for all inpatient discharges excluding LOS over 30 days for all inpatient discharges.

KPI number

A39

What this data shows

The average number of days an inpatient is in hospital up until their discharge or death. We count their length of stay from the day they are admitted to hospital until the day they are discharged.

This data covers all inpatients who are in hospital for up to 30 days. We do not count anyone who is hospital for more than 30 days. If the average length of stay is longer than 30 days, we record it as 30 days.

How we use this data

Average length of stay helps us assess the quality of care, cost of care and efficiency of a hospital. We also use it for health planning.

KPI target

The target average length of stay is 4.8 days or less.

How we calculate the ALOS

To calculate the average length of stay we:

  1. Take the total number of bed stays for that month.
  2. Divide that figure by the number of discharges for that month.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly in arrears. We show this as ‘M-1M’.

Monthly in arrears means the data reported in our January report is data from December, for example.

Surgery

Emergency length of stay

Full title

Surgical emergency inpatient average length of stay (ALOS)

KPI number

CPA60

What it means

This data looks at patients who have been admitted to hospital for an emergency surgery. It shows the average length of time they stay in hospital after having surgery.

How we use this data

We use this data to compare hospital activity with other hospitals. These are hospitals that do similar procedures or treat similar patients.

How long a patient stays in hospital after an emergency surgery varies. It can depend on the hospital they are in.

Reducing the length of time a patient stays in hospital can improve their overall experience. This can lead to better use of resources and improve access for patients on waiting lists.

Data covers

Surgeries the data covers are:

  • otolaryngology
  • paediatric ENT
  • neurosurgery
  • paediatric neurosurgery
  • obstetrics
  • gynaecology
  • opthalmology
  • neuro-opthalmic
  • vitro retinal
  • orthopaedics
  • paediatric orthopaedic
  • plastic
  • maxillo-facial
  • general
  • gastro intestinal
  • hepato biliary
  • vascular
  • breast
  • dental
  • oral
  • orthodontics
  • cardiothoracic
  • urology
  • renal transplantation
  • paediatric

KPI target

The benchmark target is 6 days or less.

How we calculate the surgical length of stay

To calculate this figure we:

  1. Take the length of stay for all surgical inpatients.
  2. Divide it by the number of surgical inpatients.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly in arrears. We show this as ‘M-1M’.

Monthly in arrears means the data reported in our January report is data from December, for example.

Elective length of stay

Full title

Surgical elective inpatient average length of stay

KPI number

CPA59

What this data shows

This data shows the average length of stay for patients in hospital for a scheduled surgery. It does not include day case patients.

How we use this data

We use this data to compare a hospital's performance with other hospitals performing similar procedures or treating similar patients.

How long a patient stays in hospital after a surgery can depend on the hospital they are in.

Reducing how long a patient stays in hospital can improve their overall experience. It also helps us to use our resources better and improve access for patients on waiting lists.

Data covers

Surgeries the data covers are:

  • otolaryngology
  • paediatric ENT
  • neurosurgery
  • paediatric neurosurgery
  • obstetrics
  • gynaecology
  • opthalmology
  • neuro-opthalmic
  • vitro retinal
  • orthopaedics
  • paediatric orthopaedics
  • plastic
  • maxillo-facial
  • general
  • gastro intestinal
  • hepato biliary
  • vascular
  • breast
  • dental
  • oral surgery
  • orthodontics
  • paediatric
  • cardio Thoracic
  • urology
  • renal transplantation

KPI target

The benchmark target is 5 days or less.

How we calculate the surgical length of stay

To calculate this figure we:

  1. Take the length of stay for all surgical inpatients.
  2. Divide it by the number of surgical inpatients.

We exclude patients in:

  • Children's Health Ireland (CHI)
  • CHI Crumlin
  • CHI Temple Street
  • CHI Tallaght
  • Bantry General Hospital
  • Ennis Hospital
  • Nenagh Hospital
  • Monaghan Hospital
  • Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital Dublin
  • Roscommon Hospital
  • Coombe
  • Cork Maternity Hospital
  • Holles Street
  • Limerick Maternity
  • Rotunda Hospital
  • St Luke’s Rathgar
  • St Josephs Raheny
  • Louth County Hospital

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly in arrears. We show this as ‘M-1M’.

Monthly in arrears means the data reported in our January report is data from December, for example.

Emergency readmissions

Full title

Percentage of surgical readmissions to the same hospital within 30 days of discharge

KPI number

A45

What this data shows

This data shows the percentage of patients readmitted to the same hospital within 30 days of surgery. This includes post acute, elective, inpatient or day-case patients.

How we use this data

Hospitals are encouraged to reduce how long a patient is in hospital after surgery. But it's important that we make sure that the need to reduce the length of stay is not linked to an increase in hospital readmissions. Monitoring this data helps us to do that.

KPI target

The benchmark target is 2 days or less.

How we calculate the surgical length of stay

To calculate this figure we:

  1. Take the number of surgical patients who were discharged from day case or inpatient care and then readmitted to the same hospital within 30 days.
  2. Multiply that number by 100.
  3. Divide by the number of emergency and elective surgical discharges over the same period.

We exclude patients in:

  • Children's Health Ireland (CHI)
  • CHI Crumlin
  • CHI Temple St
  • CHI Tallaght
  • St Luke's Rathgar
  • Coombe
  • Rotunda
  • Holles Street
  • Monaghan Maternity
  • Limerick Maternity

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly in arrears. We show this as ‘M-1M’.

Monthly in arrears means the data reported in our January report is data from December, for example.

Healthcare associated infections (HCAI)

Hospital new cases of S. aureus

Full title

Rate of new cases of hospital acquired Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bloodstream infection

KPI number

CPA51

What this data shows

This shows the rate of new cases of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection in hospital patients.

The infection is reported when it is found in blood tests of patients who have been in hospital for at least 48 hours.

How we use this data

To monitor our progress in reducing the rate of hospital acquired S. aureus bloodstream infections.

KPI target

The benchmark target rate is less than 0.8 for every 10,000 bed days used.

How we calculate the rate

To calculate this we:

  1. Take the number of infections.
  2. Divide that number by the total number of bed days used that month.
  3. Multiply that number by 10,000.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly. We show this as ‘M’.

Hospital new cases of C. difficile

Full title

Rate of new cases of hospital associated C. difficile infection

KPI number

CPA52

What this data shows

This shows the rate of new cases of C. difficile infection in hospital patients over 2 years old. This is monthly data per 10,000 bed days.

The infection is reported for all new and confirmed C. difficile infection cases in patients who have either developed symptoms:

  • at least 48 hours after being admitted to hospital, or
  • within 4 weeks following discharge from hospital

It also includes cases where C. difficile infection was found in a patient who was positive 8 weeks ago and their symptoms had resolved.

How we use this data

We use this data to monitor our progress in reducing the rate of hospital associated C. difficile infection.

KPI target

The benchmark target rate is less than 2 for every 10,000 bed days used.

How we calculate the rate

To calculate the rate we:

  1. Take the number of infections.
  2. Divide that number by the total number of bed days used that month.
  3. Multiply that figure by 10,000.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly. We show this as ‘M’.

No. of new cases of CPE

KPI number

A105

What this data shows

This data shows the number of new cases of the bacteria CPE (carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales).

If a patient has CPE, they may just carry the bacteria in their gut. They may not have gotten this during their hospital stay. There is often no way of knowing where or when they picked the bacteria up.

How we use this data

To monitor the incidence of CPE in hospitals.

CPE are a type of bacteria found in the gut. They are known as a 'superbug'. This means that they are resistant to many antibiotics. Some antibiotics used to treat them no longer work well. This can be a threat to our health.

A CPE infection in the blood stream has been associated with the deaths of around half the patients who have had it.

CPE can also add to the costs of running our health system and add challenges to patient care.

KPI target

There is no benchmark target rate.

How we calculate the number

To calculate this, we total the number of hospital patients with confirmed CPE.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly. We show this as ‘M’.

Medical

Medical average length of stay

Full title

Medical patient average length of stay

KPI number

CPA11

What this data shows

The average number of days an inpatient with a medical condition is in hospital for. This is up until their discharge or death.

We count the length of their stay from the day they are admitted to hospital up until the day they are discharged.

We only count patients in hospital with conditions related to certain medical specialties.

How we use this data

Patients with a medical condition spend longer in hospital. More beds are used for these patients. Monitoring their average length of stay is important. It helps us to assess the quality and cost of care.

It also indicates how efficiently a hospital is performing and if any inefficiencies may be improved through the Acute Medicine Programme.

Data covers

This data covers patients with conditions related to:

  • cardiology
  • dermatology
  • endocrinology
  • diabetes melitus
  • gastro-enterology
  • genito-urinary medicine
  • geriatric medicine
  • haematology
  • transfusion medicine
  • neurology
  • oncology
  • nephrology
  • respiratory medicine
  • rheumatology
  • infectious diseases
  • tropical infectious diseases
  • rehabilitation medicine
  • spinal paralysis
  • general medicine
  • clinical (medical) genetics
  • palliative medicine
  • metabolic medicine
  • clinical immunology

We do not include anyone who is hospital for more than 30 days. If the average length of stay (ALOS) is longer than 30 days, we record it as 30 days.

KPI target

The target is an average of 7 days or less.

How we calculate the ALOS

To calculate the average length of stay we:

  1. Take the total number of bed days for patients with these medical conditions for that month.
  2. Divide it by the total number of medical inpatient discharges for that month.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly in arrears. We show this as ‘M-1M’.

Monthly in arrears means the data reported in our January report is data from December, for example.

Emergency readmissions

Full title

Percentage of emergency readmissions for acute medical conditions to the same hospital within 30 days of discharge

KPI number

CPA53

What this data shows

The percentage of patients with a medical condition who were readmitted to hospital through the emergency department.

This is within 30 days of being discharged.

Data covers

This data covers patients with conditions related to:

  • cardiology
  • dermatology
  • endocrinology
  • diabetes melitus
  • gastro-enterology
  • genito-urinary medicine
  • geriatric medicine
  • haematology
  • transfusion medicine
  • neurology
  • oncology
  • nephrology
  • respiratory medicine
  • rheumatology
  • infectious diseases
  • tropical infectious diseases
  • rehabilitation medicine
  • spinal paralysis
  • general medicine
  • clinical (medical) genetics
  • palliative medicine
  • metabolic medicine
  • clinical immunology

KPI target

The target is an average of 11.1% or less.

How we calculate the percentage

To calculate the percentage we:

  1. Take the number of medical patients who were discharged and then readmitted through the ED within 30 days.
  2. Multiply that number by 100.
  3. Divide by the number of medical inpatient discharges over that same period.

Reporting period

This data is reported monthly in arrears. We show this as ‘M-1M’.

Monthly in arrears means the data reported in our January report is data from December, for example.

Data reporting columns

The dashboard includes data entry points for:

  • target
  • year to date (YTD)
  • previous

Each KPI also includes data entry points on:

  • value
  • variance
  • values by hospital group
  • value comparison
  • KPI trend
  • reporting frequency

Target

This is the current year target or the expected activity as set out in this year’s National Service Plan.

Year to date (YTD)

This is the figure agreed at the start of the year up to this point in time.

Previous

This is the figure reported the previous month.

Value

This is the current figure.

Variance

This is the difference between the current monthly figure and the target set out in the national service plan 2024.

KPI values by hospital group

This shows the current values for each hospital group for comparison with each other and the KPI target.

Value comparison

This shows the current value for your selected hospital. It compares that value with the national average and the KP target.

KPI trend

This graph shows the KPI value over the previous year to date.

Reporting frequency

This is how often we report this data.

It is most often:

  • Monthly (M)
  • Quarterly (Q)
  • Monthly in arrears (M-1M)

Monthly 2 months in arrears ( M-2M)

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