Which of the following are CDI metrics linked to patient safety or quality improvement?

• A. Readmission rates alone.
• B. Staff satisfaction surveys alone.
• C. Documentation of pressure ulcers, sepsis, pneumonia, etc., affecting risk-adjusted quality scores.
• D. Medication costs per patient as the sole CDI metric.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that CDI metrics tied to patient safety or quality improvement come from documenting and coding conditions that feed into risk-adjusted quality measures. When conditions like pressure ulcers, sepsis, and pneumonia are accurately documented, they influence risk-adjusted quality scores, helping to reflect the true complexity and safety issues of a patient population. Proper documentation also distinguishes conditions that are present on admission from those that develop during a hospital stay, which is crucial for fair risk adjustment and for identifying safety signals. This kind of documentation supports meaningful quality reporting, benchmarking, and targeted improvement efforts.

Readmission rates alone are a quality metric but not a CDI metric in themselves; staff satisfaction surveys are not CDI metrics; and medication costs per patient reflect costs rather than clinical documentation and quality outcomes.