What is the Difference Between a Percentage and a Rate?

Often we hear the ques

They are both calculate

between the numerator
Percentages

Indicators which use pe

of the Joint Commission
measures the number o
two outcomes possible,
arrival or they did not.
there can never be mor
patients admitted recei

Guidelines for Percen

Example:
all the AMI patients adm
arrival. To get the perce
aspirin (numerator) by
who received aspirin ar

Percentages are charte

that to a percentage, a

the viewer a standard v

Rates

A rate, on the other ha

percentage. For examp
numerator is not a sub
measure.

If we answer the quest

in the affirmative, then

We probably cannot cou

surrogate measure tha
Patient days fits well w
standard measures acr
Guidelines for rates:

Example:

We might measure the

falls during the period.
1000. We use the 1000
little more sense to the
to the human mind tha
(1000 patient days or 1
measures to other hosp
days, then you would p

This type of data is cha

unit. An important thin
above example, the un

The rate might be expr

confusion. For example
produced is not the num

Let me give you one m

each dose could have m
more than one error wi
delivery. A percentage
number of doses admin
rate would be the coun
would be expressed as
expressed as the numb

The
illustration of the use o
percentage type; howe
for a better understand

A more in-depth discus

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