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Prevention Quality Indicators in Inpatient Settings Measures
The Prevention Quality Indicators in Inpatient Settings (PQIs) identify issues of access to outpatient care, including appropriate follow-up care after hospital discharge. More specifically, the PQIs use data from hospital discharges to identify admissions that might have been avoided through access to high-quality outpatient care. The PQIs are population based indicators that capture all cases of the potentially preventable complications that occur in a given population (in a community or region) either during a hospitalization or in a subsequent hospitalization. The PQIs are a key tool for community health needs assessments.
How are Prevention Quality Indicators in Inpatient Settings used?
The PQIs provide a good starting point for assessing quality of health services in the community. The PQIs use administrative data found in a typical hospital discharge abstract to:
- Flag potential health care quality problem areas that need further investigation;
- Provide a quick check on primary care access or outpatient services in a community;
- Help organizations identify unmet needs in their communities.
Download information about AHRQ's Quality Indicators below:
AHRQ QI Software
AHRQ offers free software to help users using the AHRQ QIs generate results that are both accurate and actionable. Use of this free software ensures a standard, trusted approach to quality measurement and means more resources are available for supporting improvements to patient care.
SAS QI v2024
Ideal for advanced users to run in a SAS/STAT software package.
Individual Measure Technical Specifications (v2024 coding)
Breaks down calculations used to formulate each PQI, including a brief description of the measure, numerator and denominator information, and details on cases that should be excluded from calculations.
Learn MorePQI Resources
Breaks down calculations used to formulate each PQI, including a brief description of the measure, numerator and denominator information, and details on cases that should be excluded from calculations.
Tables of PQI covariates and coefficients for risk adjustment logistic regression models.
Tables of nationwide comparative rates for PQIs including observed rate, numerator, and denominator data for each indicator overall and stratified by sex and age group.
Documents summarizing revisions made to the PQI software, software documentation and technical specifications since the original release of these documents in November 2001.
Document providing an overview of the composite measures, including how they are created and maintained and other supporting resources.
Using Technical Documentation Materials
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) must be cited when referencing AHRQ Quality Indicator (QI) measures or using them for other materials or products. Any alterations to QI measure specifications must be noted, along with a disclaimer of not being endorsed by AHRQ. Click to view the disclaimer.
AHRQ PQI Technical Documentation, Version v2024, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. https://qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/measures/pqi_resources. Accessed April 23rd, 2025.
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