Additional file 1. A list of the 74 covariates in the example data from the CMS nursing home compare database. aData source: prov2010_nodupkits.xls. bIN_HOSPITAL = PROVBASE. cData source: ProviderInfo.xlsx. dW_A_C_SCORE = WEIGHTED_ALL_CYCLES_SCORE. Covariate FOR_PROFITa NON_PROFITa IN_HOSPITALa, b CHAINa DEFNUMa BEDTOTa BEDCERTa RESTOTa CENSMCREa BEDCAREa CENSMCDa CENSOTHa SNF_DCa SNF_DPa SNFa NFa CURHDEFa CURLDEFa TRANSFERa TOILETa EATINGa CONTINa BEDFASTa CONTRACTa PSORESa RESTRAINa WEIGHTa BEHAVEa MEDAID_FTa MEDAID_PTa Label Control (1-3) Control (4-6) If provider is in a hospital, either ‘Y’ or ‘N’ If provider is in a chain, either ‘Y’ or ‘N’ Total number of deficiencies on current survey, health and life safety code Total number of beds, including non-participating Total Medicare and or Medicaid certified beds Total number of residents in certified beds Number of residents who are Medicare recipients Number of Medicare certified beds Number of residents who are Medicaid recipients Number of residents not Medicare or Medicaid recipients ‘02’-Skilled Nursing Facility/Nursing Facility - Dually Certified ‘03’-Skilled Nursing Facility/Nursing Facility - Distinct Parts ‘04’-Skilled Nursing Facilities ‘10’-Nursing Facilities (Medicaid only) Total number of health deficiencies on current survey Total number of life safety code defs on current survey Transferring - number of residents dependent on staff Toilet use - number of residents dependent on staff Eating - number of residents dependent on staff Continence - number of residents occasionally or frequently incontinent of bladder Mobility - number of residents who are bedfast most or all of the time Mobility - number of residents with contractures Skin integrity - number of residents with pressure sores, excluding stage 1 Mobility - number of physically restrained residents Other - number of residents with unplanned significant weight loss/gain Mental status - number of residents with behavioral symptoms Medication aide full-time as FTEs Medication aide part-time as FTEs Covariate MEDAID_CTa RNDON_FTa RNDON_PTa RNDON_CTa NRSADM_CTa NRSADM_FTa NRSADM_PTa RN_FTa RN_PTa RN_CTa VOC_FTa VOC_PTa VOC_CTa AID_FTa AID_PTa AID_CTa AIDTRN_FTa AIDTRN_PTa AIDTRN_CTa RESGROUPa FAMGROUPa CHOW_COUNTERa SFFc AIDHRDc VOCHRDc RNHRDc TOTLICHRDc TOTHRDc PTHRDc EXP_AIDEc EXP_LPNc EXP_RNc EXP_TOTALc ADJ_AIDEc ADJ_LPNc ADJ_RNc ADJ_TOTALc W_A_C_SCOREc, d INCIDENT_CNTc CMPLNT_CNTc FINE_CNTc Label Medication aide contract time as FTEs Director of nursing full-time as FTEs Director of nursing part-time as FTEs Director of nursing contract time as FTEs Nurses w/ administrative duties full-time as FTEs Nurses w/ administrative duties part-time as FTEs Nurses w/ administrative duties contract time as FTEs Registered nurse full-time as FTEs Registered nurse part-time as FTEs Registered nurse contract time as FTEs LPN/LVN full-time as FTEs LPN/LVN part-time as FTEs LPN/LVN contract time as FTEs Nurse aide full-time as FTEs Nurse aide part-time as FTEs Nurse aide contract time as FTEs Nurse aides in training full-time as FTEs Nurse aides in training part-time as FTEs Nurse aides in training contract time as FTEs The provider has resident group, either 'y' or 'n' The provider has a family group, either 'y' or 'n' The number of times a change of ownership has taken place for a particular provider Special Focus Facility Reported CNA Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Reported LPN Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Reported RN Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Reported Licensed Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Reported Physical Therapist Staffing Hours per Resident Per Day Expected CNA Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Expected LPN Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Expected RN Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Expected Total Nurse Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Adjusted CNA Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Adjusted RN Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Adjusted LPN Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Adjusted Total Nurse Staffing Hours per Resident per Day Total Weighted Health Survey Score Number of Facility Reported Incidents Number of Substantiated Complaints Number of Fines Covariate FINE_TOTc PAYDEN_CNTc T_PENLTY_CNTc Label Total Amount of Fines in Dollars Number of Payment Denials Total Number of Penalties