How Brigham and Women ’s is using claims data to improve outcomes

< p > As more tools for data collection become available, physicians are adopting them in creative but simple ways to improve outcomes for patients. One physician explains how his hospital is leveraging these tools and other sources of data analysis for patient care. < /p > < p > < strong > Reducing readmissions with the LACE index < /strong > < /p > < p > Access to large amounts of data could allow physicians to get to specific actionable needs and gaps, said David Bates, MD, officer and chief of internal medicine and primary care at Brigham and Women ’s Hospital in Boston. “We ought to be able to use sources of data to figure out … what’s relevant for individual patients.” < /p > < p > At Brigham and Women ’s Hospital, Dr. Bates and his colleagues use a tool based on the LACE index to identify patients that are at risk for readmission or death within 30 days of discharge: < /p > < p style= " margin-left:.5in; " > < strong > L: < /strong > Length of stay < /p > < p style= " margin-left:.5in; " > < strong > A: < /strong > Acuity of admission < /p > < p style= " margin-left:.5in; " > < strong > C: < /strong > Co-morbidities < /p > < p style= " margin-left:.5in; " > < strong > E: < /strong > Emergency department visits in last six months < /p > < p > “We take claims data from the last 12 months—there are clinical conditions from a list of about 30 that are categorized high, moderate or low-acuity—then take combinations of conditions from each categor...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news