Which term is a utilization measure indicating patient health status change?

• A. Hospital Admission
• B. End-Result Outcome
• C. Utilization Outcome
• D. Discharged to Community

Answer: (A)

Utilization measures track how a patient’s need for care escalates or changes during treatment. Hospital admission specifically captures the event when a patient moves from outpatient or home care to inpatient hospital care, signaling a clear change in health status that requires a higher level of services. That direct link to a shift in care level makes it the best fit for indicating a health status change.

By contrast, an end-result outcome describes the final status at the end of the care episode rather than the process of changing care levels; a utilization outcome isn’t a standard term tied to a specific health-status change during care; and “discharged to community” refers to where the patient goes after care rather than a change in health status occurring during the episode.