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Related Experiment Videos

Funnel plots for comparing institutional performance.

David J Spiegelhalter1

  • 1MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge CB2 2SR, UK. david.spiegelhalter@mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk

Statistics in Medicine
|November 30, 2004
PubMed
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Funnel plots offer a simple graphical method for comparing institutions, plotting outcomes against precision. This approach avoids misleading league tables by using control limits to visualize performance variations.

Area of Science:

  • Statistical methods
  • Health services research
  • Quality improvement

Background:

  • Institutional comparisons are crucial for quality assessment.
  • Traditional methods like league tables can be misleading.
  • Graphical aids can improve the interpretation of performance data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and advocate for the use of funnel plots in institutional comparisons.
  • To demonstrate the flexibility and utility of funnel plots across various scenarios.
  • To provide an alternative to spurious ranking methods.

Main Methods:

  • Plotting an estimate of an underlying quantity against a measure of its precision.
  • Incorporating control limits analogous to Shewhart control charts.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Applying funnel plots to compare proportions, rate changes, and outcome-volume associations.

    • Main Results:

    • Funnel plots effectively visualize institutional performance and precision.
    • The method accommodates over-dispersion from unmeasured risk factors.
    • Demonstrated application in comparing proportions, rate changes, and outcome-volume relationships.

    Conclusions:

    • Funnel plots are a flexible and simple graphical tool for institutional comparison.
    • They provide a more informative alternative to league tables.
    • This method enhances the visual assessment of performance variability and precision.