Feasibility of 30-day hospital readmission prediction modeling based on health information exchange data.

INTRODUCTION: Unplanned 30-day hospital readmission account for roughly $17 billion in annual Medicare spending. Many factors contribute to unplanned hospital readmissions and multiple models have been developed over the years to predict them. Most researchers have used insurance claims or administrative data to train and operationalize their Readmission Risk Prediction Models (RRPMs). Some RRPM developers have also used electronic health records data; however, using health informatics exchange data has been uncommon among such predictive models and can be beneficial in its ability to provide real-time alerts to providers at the point of care. METHODS: We conducted a semi-systematic review of readmission predictive factors published prior to March 2013. Then, we extracted and merged all significant variables listed in those articles for RRPMs. Finally, we matched these variables with common HL7 messages transmitted by a sample of health information exchange organizations (HIO). RESULTS: The semi-systematic review resulted in identification of 32 articles and 297 predictive variables. The mapping of these variables with common HL7 segments resulted in an 89.2% total coverage, with the DG1 (diagnosis) segment having the highest coverage of 39.4%. The PID (patient identification) and OBX (observation results) segments cover 13.9% and 9.1% of the variables. Evaluating the same coverage in three sample HIOs showed data incompleteness. DISCUSSION: HIOs can utilize HL7 messages to develop unique RRPMs for their stakeholders; however, data completeness of exchanged messages should meet certain thresholds. If data quality standards are met by stakeholders, HIOs would be able to provide real-time RRPMs that not only predict intra-hospital readmissions but also inter-hospital cases. CONCLUSION: A RRPM derived using HIO data exchanged through may prove to be a useful method to prevent unplanned hospital readmissions. In order for the RRPM derived from HIO data to be effective, hospitals must actively exchange clinical information through the HIO and develop actionable methods that integrate into the workflow of providers to ensure that patients at high-risk for readmission receive the care they need.

Supporting HITECH implementation and assessing lessons for the future: The role of program evaluation.

In addition to supporting the adoption and use of health IT, HITECH also included funds to support independent national program evaluation activities. The main challenges of evaluating health IT programs of the breadth and scale of the HITECH programs are the importance of context in the implementation and impact of the programs, the complexity and heterogeneity of the interventions, and the unpredictable nature of the innovative practices spurred by HITECH. The lessons learned include the importance of tailoring evaluation activities to each phase of implementation, flexible mixed methods, and continuous formative evaluation.

Physician capability to electronically exchange clinical information, 2011.

OBJECTIVES: To provide national estimates of physician capability to electronically share clinical information with other providers and to describe variation in exchange capability across states and electronic health record (EHR) vendors using the 2011 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Electronic Medical Record Supplement. STUDY DESIGN: Survey of a nationally representative sample of nonfederal office-based physicians who provide direct patient care. METHODS: The survey was administered by mail with telephone follow-up and had a 61% weighted response rate. The overall sample consisted of 4326 respondents. We calculated estimates of electronic exchange capability at the national and state levels, and applied multivariate analyses to examine the association between the capability to exchange different types of clinical information and physician and practice characteristics. RESULTS: In 2011, 55% of physicians had computerized capability to send prescriptions electronically; 67% had the capability to view lab results electronically; 42% were able to incorporate lab results into their EHR; 35% were able to send lab orders electronically; and, 31% exchanged patient clinical summaries with other providers. The strongest predictor of exchange capability is adoption of an EHR. However, substantial variation exists across geography and EHR vendors in exchange capability, especially electronic exchange of clinical summaries. CONCLUSIONS: In 2011, a majority of office-based physicians could exchange lab and medication data, and approximately one-third could exchange clinical summaries with patients or other providers. EHRs serve as a key mechanism by which physicians can exchange clinical data, though physicians' capability to exchange varies by vendor and by state.