If data on readmission rates are skewed, which measure of central tendency is most appropriate?

If data on readmission rates are skewed, which measure of central tendency is most appropriate?

• A. Mean
• B. Median
• C. Mode
• D. Range

Answer: (B)

When data are skewed, the middle value that splits the data in half remains representative despite extreme observations. The median serves as that central point, so it captures the typical readmission rate without being pulled toward outliers. In healthcare, a few hospitals with very high readmission rates can raise the average, giving a distorted sense of what a typical hospital experiences. The mean would be affected by these extremes, while the mode simply notes the most frequent value and may not reflect the overall center, especially with skewed data. The range measures how spread out the values are from the lowest to the highest, not where the center lies. So, the median is the best measure for skewed readmission data.

When data are skewed, the middle value that splits the data in half remains representative despite extreme observations. The median serves as that central point, so it captures the typical readmission rate without being pulled toward outliers. In healthcare, a few hospitals with very high readmission rates can raise the average, giving a distorted sense of what a typical hospital experiences. The mean would be affected by these extremes, while the mode simply notes the most frequent value and may not reflect the overall center, especially with skewed data. The range measures how spread out the values are from the lowest to the highest, not where the center lies. So, the median is the best measure for skewed readmission data.