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Ahn SJ. Real-World Research on Retinal Diseases Using Health Claims Database: A Narrative Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:1568. [PMID: 39061705 PMCID: PMC11276298 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14141568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Real-world data (RWD) has emerged as a crucial component in understanding and improving patient outcomes across various medical conditions, including retinal diseases. Health claims databases, generated from healthcare reimbursement claims, offer a comprehensive source of RWD, providing insights into patient outcomes, healthcare utilization, and treatment effectiveness. However, the use of these databases for research also presents unique challenges. This narrative review explores the role of real-world research on retinal diseases using health claims databases, highlighting their advantages, limitations, and potential contributions to advancing our understanding and management of the diseases. The review examines the applications of health claims databases in retinal disease research, including epidemiological studies, comparative effectiveness and safety analyses, economic burden assessments, and evaluations of patient outcomes and quality of care. Previous findings demonstrate the value of these databases in generating prevalence and incidence estimates, identifying risk factors and predictors, evaluating treatment effectiveness and safety, and understanding healthcare utilization patterns and costs associated with retinal diseases. Despite their strengths, health claims databases face challenges related to data limitations, biases, privacy concerns, and methodological issues. Accordingly, the review also explores future directions and opportunities, including advancements in data collection and analysis, integration with electronic health records, collaborative research networks and consortia, and the evolving regulatory landscape. These developments are expected to enhance the utility of health claims databases for retinal disease research, resulting in more comprehensive and impactful findings across diverse retinal disorders and robust real-world insights from a large population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Joon Ahn
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
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Angelici L, Angioletti C, Pinnarelli L, Colais P, de Mattia E, Agabiti N, Davoli M, Acampora A. EASY-NET Program: Methods and Preliminary Results of an Audit and Feedback Intervention in the Emergency Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Lazio Region, Italy. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11111651. [PMID: 37297791 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11111651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the EASY-NET network program (NET-2016-02364191), Work Package 1 Lazio evaluates the effectiveness of a structured audit and feedback (A&F) intervention compared with the web-based regional periodic publication of indicators in improving the appropriateness and timeliness of emergency healthcare for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This work describes the A&F methodology and presents the results of the first feedback delivered. The intervention involves sending periodic reports via e-mail to participating hospitals. The feedback reports include a set of volume and quality (process and outcome) indicators, calculated by facility through the health information system of the Lazio Region and compared with regional mean, target values and values calculated for hospitals with similar volumes of activity. Health managers and clinicians of each participating hospital represent the "feedback recipients". They are invited to organize clinical and organizational audit meetings to identify possible critical issues in the care pathway and define, where necessary, improvement actions. A total of 16 facilities are involved. Twelve facilities present high volumes in all volume indicators, while three facilities present low volumes for each indicator. Concerning the quality indicators, four facilities do not present critical indicators or had average results, three facilities do not present critical indicators but show average results in at least one of the indicators and six facilities present a critical value for at least one of the indicators. The first report highlighted some critical issues in some facilities on several indicators. During the audit meetings, each facility analyzes these issues, defining appropriate improvement actions. The outcome of these actions will be monitored through subsequent reporting to support the continuous care quality improvement process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Angelici
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service-Lazio, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Carmen Angioletti
- Management and Health Laboratory, Institute of Management, Department Embeds, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Luigi Pinnarelli
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service-Lazio, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Colais
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service-Lazio, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Egidio de Mattia
- Critical Pathways and Evaluation Outcome Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli"-IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Faculty of Economics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Nera Agabiti
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service-Lazio, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service-Lazio, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Acampora
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service-Lazio, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147 Rome, Italy
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Colais P, Pinnarelli L, Mataloni F, Giordani B, Duranti G, D’Errigo P, Rosato S, Seccareccia F, Baglio G, Davoli M. The National Outcomes Evaluation Programme in Italy: The Impact of Publication of Health Indicators. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191811685. [PMID: 36141957 PMCID: PMC9517347 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In Italy the National Outcomes Evaluation Programme, (P.N.E.) is the most comprehensive comparative evaluation of healthcare outcomes at the national level. The aim of this report is to describe the P.N.E. and some of the most relevant results achieved. The P.N.E. analysed 184 indicators on quality of care in 2015-2020 period. The data sources are the Italian Health Information Systems. The indicators reported were: proportion of surgery within 2 days after hip fracture in the elderly (HF), 30-day mortality after hospital admission for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), proportion of reoperations within 90 days of breast-conserving surgery and proportion of primary caesarean deliveries. Risk adjustment methods were used to take into account patients' characteristics. From 2010 to 2020 the proportion of interventions within 2 days after HF increased from 31.3% to 64.6%, the AMI 30-day mortality decreased from 10.4% to 8.3%, the proportion of reinterventions within 90 days of breast-conserving surgery decreased from 12.0% to 5.9% and the proportion of primary caesarean deliveries decreased from 28.4% to 22.7%. Results by area of residence showed heterogeneity of healthcare quality. We observed a general improvement in different clinical areas not always associated with a reduction of heterogeneity among areas of residence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Colais
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Pinnarelli
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Mataloni
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, 00147 Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Giordani
- Research and International Relations Unit, Italian National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (AGENAS), 00187 Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Duranti
- Research and International Relations Unit, Italian National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (AGENAS), 00187 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola D’Errigo
- National Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Rosato
- National Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvia Seccareccia
- National Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Baglio
- Research and International Relations Unit, Italian National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (AGENAS), 00187 Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, 00147 Rome, Italy
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Ferranti M, Pinnarelli L, Rosa A, Pastorino R, D’Ovidio M, Fusco D, Davoli M. Evaluation of the breast cancer care network within the Lazio Region (Central Italy). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238562. [PMID: 32881971 PMCID: PMC7470269 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES A summary indicator for evaluating the breast cancer network has never been measured at the regional level. The aim is to design treemaps providing a summary description of hospitals (including breast units) and Local Health Units (LHUs) in terms of their levels of performance within the breast cancer network of the Lazio region (central Italy). The treemap structure has an intuitive design and displays information from both general and specific analyses. METHODS Patients admitted to the regional hospitals for malignant breast cancer (MBC) surgery in 2010-2017 were selected in a population-based cohort study. These quality indicators were calculated based on the international guidelines (EUSOMA, ESMO) to assess the performance in terms of volume of activity, surgery procedure, post-surgery assistance and timeliness of medical therapy or radiotherapy beginning. The quality indicators were calculated using administrative health data systematically collected at the regional level and were included in the treemap to represent the surgery or the post-surgery areas of the breast cancer clinical pathway. In order to allow aggregation of scores for different indicators belonging to the same clinical area, up to five evaluation classes were defined using the "Jenks Natural Breaks" algorithm. A score and a colour were assigned to each clinical area based on the ranking of the indicators involved. The analyses were performed on an annual basis, by the LHU of residence and by the hospital which performed the surgical intervention. RESULTS In 2017, 6218 surgical interventions for MBC were performed in the hospitals of Lazio. The results showed a continuous increase of the level of performance over the years. Hospitals showed higher variability in the levels of performance than the LHUs. 36% of the evaluated hospitals reached a high level of performance. An audit of the S. Filippo Neri breast unit revealed incorrect coding of the input data. For this reason, the score for the indicator for the volume of wards was re-calculated and re-evaluated, with a subsequent improvement of the level of performance. Most LHUs achieved at least an average overall level of performance, with 20% of the LHUs reaching a high level of performance. CONCLUSIONS This is the first attempt to apply the treemap logic to a single clinical network, in order to obtain a summary indicator for the evaluation of the breast cancer care network. Our results supply decision makers with a transparent instrument of governance for heterogeneous users, directing efforts improving and promoting equity of care. The treemaps could be reproduced and adapted for other local contexts, in order to limit inappropriateness and ensure uniform levels of breast cancer care within local areas. The next step is the evaluation of audit and feedback interventions to improve the quality of care and to guarantee homogeneous levels of care throughout the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Ferranti
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Luigi Pinnarelli
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Pastorino
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Danilo Fusco
- Lazio Regional Health Service, Department of Health Information Systems, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
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Lillo-Crespo M, Sierras-Davó MC, Taylor A, Ritters K, Karapostoli A. Mapping the Status of Healthcare Improvement Science through a Narrative Review in Six European Countries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E4480. [PMID: 31739419 PMCID: PMC6887973 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16224480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
With the aim to explore how improvement science is understood, taught, practiced, and its impact on quality healthcare across Europe, the Improvement Science Training for European Healthcare Workers (ISTEW) project "Improvement Science Training for European Healthcare Workers" was funded by the European Commission and integrated by 7 teams from different European countries. As part of the project, a narrative literature review was conducted between 2008 and 2019, including documents in all partners' languages from 26 databases. Data collection and analysis involved a common database. Validation took place through partners' discussions. Referring to healthcare improvement science (HIS), a variety of terms, tools, and techniques were reported with no baseline definition or specific framework. All partner teams were informed about the non-existence of a specific term equivalent to HIS in their mother languages, except for the English-speaking countries. A lack of consensus, regarding the understanding and implementation of HIS into the healthcare and educational contexts was found. Our findings have brought to light the gap existing in HIS within Europe, far from other nations, such as the US, where there is a clearer HIS picture. As a consequence, the authors suggest further developing the standardization of HIS understanding and education in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Lillo-Crespo
- Nursing Department and International Mobility Coordinator, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Maria Cristina Sierras-Davó
- Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Alan Taylor
- Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies, Coventry University, Gosford St, Coventry CV1 5DL, UK
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Ventura M, Belleudi V, Sciattella P, Di Domenicantonio R, Di Martino M, Agabiti N, Davoli M, Fusco D. High quality process of care increases one-year survival after acute myocardial infarction (AMI): A cohort study in Italy. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212398. [PMID: 30785928 PMCID: PMC6382131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The relationship between guideline adherence and outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been widely investigated considering the emergency, acute, post-acute phases separately, but the effectiveness of the whole care process is not known. Aim The study aim was to evaluate the effect of the multicomponent continuum of care on 1-year survival after AMI. Methods We conducted a cohort study selecting all incident cases of AMI from health information systems during 2011–2014 in the Lazio region. Patients’ clinical history was defined by retrieving previous hospitalizations and drugs prescriptions. For each subject the probability to reach the hospital and the conditional probabilities to survive to 30 days from admission and to 31–365 days post discharge were estimated through multivariate logistic models. The 1-year survival probability was calculated as the product of the three probabilities. Quality of care indicators were identified in terms of emergency timeliness (time between residence and the nearest hospital), hospital performance in treatment of acute phase (number/timeliness of PCI on STEMI) and drug therapy in post-acute phase (number of drugs among antiplatelet, β-blockers, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, statins). The 1-year survival Probability Ratio (PR) and its Bootstrap Confidence Intervals (BCI) between who were exposed to the highest level of quality of care (timeliness<10', hospitalization in high performance hospital, complete drug therapy) and who exposed to the worst (timeliness≥10', hospitalization in low performance hospital, suboptimal drug therapy) were calculated for a mean-severity patient and varying gender and age. PRs for patients with diabetes and COPD were also evaluated. Results We identified 38,517 incident cases of AMI. The out-of-hospital mortality was 27.6%. Among the people arrived in hospital, 42.9% had a hospitalization for STEMI with 11.1% of mortality in acute phase and 5.4% in post-acute phase. For a mean-severity patient the PR was 1.19 (BCI 1.14–1.24). The ratio did not change by gender, while it moved from 1.06 (BCI 1.05–1.08) for age<65 years to 1.62 (BCI 1.45–1.80) for age >85 years. For patients with diabetes and COPD a slight increase in PRs was also observed. Conclusions The 1-year survival probability post AMI depends strongly on the quality of the whole multicomponent continuum of care. Improving the performance in the different phases, taking into account the relationship among these, can lead to considerable saving of lives, in particular for the elderly and for subjects with chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Ventura
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Belleudi
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Sciattella
- Department of Statistical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Mirko Di Martino
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Nera Agabiti
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Fusco
- Department of Epidemiology of Lazio Regional Health Service, Rome, Italy
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Therapeutic alternatives for supporting GPs to deprescribe opioids: a cross-sectional survey. BJGP Open 2019; 2:bjgpopen18X101609. [PMID: 30723795 PMCID: PMC6348329 DOI: 10.3399/bjgpopen18x101609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background GPs are central to opioid strategy in chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Lack of treatment alternatives and providers are common reasons cited for not deprescribing opioids. There are limited data about availability of multidisciplinary healthcare providers (MHCPs), such as psychologists, physiotherapists, or dietitians, who can provide broader treatments. Aim To explore availability of MHCPs, and the association with GP opioid deprescribing and transition to therapeutic alternatives for CNCP. Design & setting Cross-sectional survey of all practising GPs (N = 1480) in one mixed urban and regional Australian primary health network. Method A self-report mailed questionnaire assessed the availability of MHCPs and management of their most recent patient on long-term opioids for CNCP. Results Six hundred and eighty-one (46%) valid responses were received. Most GPs (71%) had access to a pain specialist and MHCPs within 50 km. GPs' previous referral for specialist support was significantly associated with access to a greater number of MHCPs (P = 0.001). Employment of a nurse increased the rate ratio of available MHCPs by 12.5% (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.125, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.001 to 1.264). Only one-third (32%) of GPs reported willingness to deprescribe and shift to broader CNCP treatments. Availability of MHCPs was not significantly associated with deprescribing decisions. Conclusion Lack of geographical access to known MHCPs does not appear to be a major barrier to opioid deprescribing and shifting toward non-pharmacological treatments for CNCP. Considerable opportunity remains to encourage GPs' decision to deprescribe, with employment of a practice nurse appearing to play a role.
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Regional Outcome Evaluation Program (P.Re.Val.E.): Reduction of inequality in access to effective health care in the Lazio region of Italy (2012-2015). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194972. [PMID: 29584783 PMCID: PMC5870986 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inequalities in health among groups of various socio-economic status (as measured by education, occupation, and income) constitute one of the main challenges for public health. Since 2006, the Lazio Regional Outcome Evaluation Program (P.Re.Val.E.), presents a set of indicators of hospital performance based on quality standards driven by strong clinical recommendations, and measures the variation in the access to effective health care for different population groups and providers in the Lazio Region. One of the aims of the program was to compare population subgroups in order to promote equity in service provision. Since June 2013, a new management strategy has been put in place that assigned specific goals based on performance assessment to the chief executive officers of the hospitals. AIM To evaluate whether, in recent years, there has been a reduction in the differential access to effective health care, among individuals with different educational levels. METHODS We enrolled all patients discharged from both public and private hospitals of the Lazio region between 2012 and 2015, living in Lazio region. We analysed the proportion of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention within 90 minutes (primary PCI), the proportion of patients with hip fracture (HF) who underwent surgery within 2 days, and the proportion of women with primary C-section. We applied multivariate logistic regression models to assess the effect of educational level on health outcomes, adjusting for demographic characteristics and comorbidities that could affect the outcomes. For each year of the study period, we compared adjusted proportions of outcomes for the highest and the lowest level of education by using percentage differences. RESULTS In the Lazio region, 44.6% of STEMI patients (N = 3,299) were treated with primary PCI, 54.4% of patients with hip fractures (N = 6,602) underwent surgery within 2 days, and 27.7% of women without a previous C-section (N = 34,718) delivered via C-section, in 2015. The corresponding proportions in 2012 were 27.8%, 31.3% and 31.5%, respectively. By comparing the adjusted proportions in patients with the highest education level (a university degree or higher) to those with the lowest level education level (None/Primary school), a decrease in the percentage difference was observed during the study period. In STEMI and delivery cohorts, the improvement of outcomes involved the least and the most educated patients, respectively, and the difference between the two educational levels was close to zero in 2015, whereas for hip patients, the improvement was more evident among the less educated patients. CONCLUSIONS In the Lazio region, we observed a reduction in the differential access to effective heath care by educational level, in different clinical areas. Different factors might explain these results. On top of the public disclosure of outcome data, the management strategy applied in mid-2013 might have driven the overall improvement of the health system for the considered conditions, helping to achieve a fairer access to health.
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Gan FF, Tang X, Zhu Y, Lim PW. Monitoring the quality of cardiac surgery based on three or more surgical outcomes using a new variable life-adjusted display. Int J Qual Health Care 2018; 29:427-432. [PMID: 28340206 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzx033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Quality problem or issue The traditional variable life-adjusted display (VLAD) is a graphical display of the difference between expected and actual cumulative deaths. The VLAD assumes binary outcomes: death within 30 days of an operation or survival beyond 30 days. Full recovery and bedridden for life, for example, are considered the same outcome. This binary classification results in a great loss of information. Initial assessment Although there are many grades of survival, the binary outcomes are commonly used to classify surgical outcomes. Consequently, quality monitoring procedures are developed based on binary outcomes. With a more refined set of outcomes, the sensitivities of these procedures can be expected to improve. Choice of solution A likelihood ratio method is used to define a penalty-reward scoring system based on three or more surgical outcomes for the new VLAD. The likelihood ratio statistic W is based on testing the odds ratio of cumulative probabilities of recovery R. Two methods of implementing the new VLAD are proposed. Implementation We accumulate the statistic W-W¯R to estimate the performance of a surgeon where W¯R is the average of the W's of a historical data set. The accumulated sum will be zero based on the historical data set. This ensures that if a new VLAD is plotted for a future surgeon of performance similar to this average performance, the plot will exhibit a horizontal trend. Evaluation For illustration of the new VLAD, we consider 3-outcome surgical results: death within 30 days, partial and full recoveries. In our first illustration, we show the effect of partial recoveries on surgical results of a surgeon. In our second and third illustrations, the surgical results of two surgeons are compared using both the traditional VLAD based on binary-outcome data and the new VLAD based on 3-outcome data. A reversal in relative performance of surgeons is observed when the new VLAD is used. In our final illustration, we display the surgical results of four surgeons using the new VLAD based completely on 3-outcome data. Lessons learned Full recovery and bedridden for life are two completely different outcomes. There is a great loss of information when different grades of 'successful' operations are naively classified as survival. When surgical outcomes are classified more accurately into more than two categories, the resulting new VLAD will reveal more accurately and fairly the surgical results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fah Fatt Gan
- Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, 117546, Republic of Singapore
| | - Xu Tang
- Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, 117546, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yexin Zhu
- Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, 117546, Republic of Singapore
| | - Puay Weng Lim
- Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, 117546, Republic of Singapore
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Pedrini M, Langella V, Battaglia MA, Zaratin P. Assessing the health research’s social impact: a systematic review. Scientometrics 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11192-017-2585-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Colais P, Agabiti N, Davoli M, Buttari F, Centonze D, De Fino C, Di Folco M, Filippini G, Francia A, Galgani S, Gasperini C, Giuliani M, Mirabella M, Nociti V, Pozzilli C, Bargagli A. Identifying Relapses in Multiple Sclerosis Patients through Administrative Data: A Validation Study in the Lazio Region, Italy. Neuroepidemiology 2017; 48:171-178. [PMID: 28793295 DOI: 10.1159/000479515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relapse is frequently considered an outcome measure of disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). The objectives of this study were to identify relapse episodes in patients with MS in the Lazio region using health administrative databases and to evaluate the validity of the algorithm using patients enrolled at MS treatment centers. METHODS MS cases were identified in the period between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009 using data from regional Health Information Systems (HIS). An algorithm based on HIS was used to identify relapse episodes, and patients recruited at MS centers were used to validate the algorithm. Positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) and the Cohen's kappa coefficient were calculated. RESULTS The overall MS population identified through HIS consisted of 6,094 patients, of whom 67.1% were female and the mean age was 41.5. Among the MS patients identified by the algorithm, 2,242 attended the centers and 3,852 did not. The PPV was 58.9%, the NPV was 76.3%, and the kappa was 0.36. CONCLUSIONS The proposed algorithm based on health administrative databases does not seem to be able to reliably detect relapses; however, it may be a helpful tool to detect healthcare utilization, and therefore to identify the worsening condition of a patient's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Colais
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
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Cafagna G, Seghieri C. Educational level and 30-day outcomes after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction in Italy. BMC Health Serv Res 2017; 17:18. [PMID: 28069004 PMCID: PMC5220616 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1966-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is a growing interest in the factors that influence short-term mortality and readmission after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) since such outcomes are commonly considered as hospital performance measures. Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the factors contributing to healthcare outcomes after hospitalization for AMI. However, no study has been published on education and 30-day readmission in Europe. The objective of this study is to examine the association between educational level and 30-day mortality and readmission among patients hospitalized for AMI in Tuscany (Italy). Methods A retrospective cohort study using data from hospital discharge records was conducted. The analysis included all patients discharged with a principal diagnosis of AMI between January 1, 2011, and November 30, 2014, from all hospitals in Tuscany. Educational level was categorized as low (no middle school diploma), mid (middle school diploma) and high (high school diploma or more). Three multilevel models were developed, sequentially controlling for patient-level socio-demographic and clinical variables and hospital-level variables. Patients were stratified by age (≤75 and >75 years). Results Mortality analysis included 23,402 patients, readmission analysis included 22,181 patients. In both unadjusted and full-adjusted models, patients with a high education had lower odds of 30-day mortality compared to those patients with low education (OR age ≤ 75 years 0.67, 95% CI:0.47–0.94; OR age > 75 years 0.72, 95% CI:0.54–0.95). With regard to 30-day readmission, only patients aged over 75 years with a high education had lower odds of short-term readmission compared to those patients with low education (OR age > 75 0.73, 95% CI:0.58–0.93). Conclusions Among patients hospitalized in Tuscany for AMI, low levels of education were associated with increased odds of 30-day mortality for both age groups and increased odds of 30-day readmission only for patients aged over 75 years. Our findings suggest that the educational component should not be underestimated in order to improve short-term outcomes, which are considered as performance measures at the hospital level. Hospital managers might consider strategies that are sensitive to patients with low SES, such as providing post-hospitalization support to less-educated patients and promoting a healthier lifestyle, to improve both health equity and performance outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Cafagna
- Health and Management Laboratory (MeS Lab), Institute of Management, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Piazza Martiri della Libertà, 24, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Chiara Seghieri
- Health and Management Laboratory (MeS Lab), Institute of Management, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Piazza Martiri della Libertà, 24, Pisa, Italy
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Di Domenicantonio R, Cappai G, Sciattella P, Belleudi V, Di Martino M, Agabiti N, Mataloni F, Ricci R, Perucci CA, Davoli M, Fusco D. The Tradeoff between Travel Time from Home to Hospital and Door to Balloon Time in Determining Mortality among STEMI Patients Undergoing PCI. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158336. [PMID: 27336859 PMCID: PMC4918978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), even in presence of short door to balloon time (DTBT), timely reperfusion with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is hampered by pre-hospital delays. Travel time (TT) constitutes a relevant part of these delays and may contribute to worse outcomes. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between TT from home to hospital and DTBT on 30-day mortality after PCI among patients with STEMI. METHODS We enrolled a cohort of 3,608 STEMI patients with a DTBT within 120 minutes who underwent PCI between years 2009 and 2013 in Lazio Region (Italy). We calculated the minimum travel time from residential address to emergency department where the first medical contact occurred. We defined system delay as the sum of travel time and DTBT time. Logistic regression models, including clinical and demographic characteristics were used to estimate the effect of TT and DTBT on mortality. RESULTS Among patients with 0-90 minutes of system delay, TT above the median value is positively associated with mortality (OR = 2.46; P = 0.009). Survival benefit associated with DTBT below the median results only among patients with TT below the median (OR for DTBT below the median = 0.39; P = 0.013), (OR for interaction between TT and DTBT = 2.36; p = 0.076). CONCLUSION TT affects survival after PCI for STEMI, even in the presence of health care systems compliant with current guidelines. Results emphasize the importance of health system initiatives to reduce pre-hospital delay. Utilization of TT can contribute to a better estimate of patient mortality risk in the evaluation of quality of care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanna Cappai
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Paolo Sciattella
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Valeria Belleudi
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Mirko Di Martino
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Nera Agabiti
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Roberto Ricci
- Cardiology Unit, Local health authority Roma E, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Danilo Fusco
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
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Patella M, Sandri A, Pompili C, Papagiannopoulos K, Milton R, Chaudhuri N, Kefaloyannis E, Brunelli A. Real-time monitoring of a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy programme using a specific cardiopulmonary complications risk-adjusted control chart. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2015; 49:1070-4; discussion 1074. [DOI: 10.1093/ejcts/ezv294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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Colais P, Di Martino M, Fusco D, Davoli M, Aylin P, Perucci CA. Using clinical variables and drug prescription data to control for confounding in outcome comparisons between hospitals. BMC Health Serv Res 2014; 14:495. [PMID: 25339263 PMCID: PMC4209232 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-014-0495-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hospital discharge records are an essential source of information when comparing health outcomes among hospitals; however, they contain limited information on acute clinical conditions. Doubts remain as to whether the addition of clinical and drug consumption information would improve the prediction of health outcomes and reduce confounding in inter-hospital comparisons. The objective of the study is to compare the performance of two multivariate risk adjustment models, with and without clinical data and drug prescription information, in terms of their capability to a) predict short-term outcome rates and b) compare hospitals’ risk-adjusted outcome rates using two risk-adjustment procedures. Methods Observational, retrospective study based on hospital data collected at the regional level. Two cohorts of patients discharged in 2010 from hospitals located in the Lazio Region, Italy: acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and hip fracture (HF). Multivariate logistic regression models were implemented to predict 30-day mortality (AMI) or 48-hour surgery (HF), adjusting for demographic characteristics and comorbidities plus clinical data and drug prescription information. Risk-adjusted outcome rates were derived at the hospital level. Results The addition of clinical data and drug prescription information improved the capability of the models to predict the study outcomes for the two conditions investigated. The discriminatory power of the AMI model increases when the clinical data and drug prescription information are included (c-statistic increases from 0.761 to 0.797); for the HF model the increase was more slight (c-statistic increases from 0.555 to 0.574). Some differences were observed between the hospital-adjusted proportion estimated using the two different models. However, the estimated hospital outcome rates were weakly affected by the introduction of clinical data and drug prescription information. Conclusions The results show that the available clinical variables and drug prescription information were important complements to the hospital discharge data for characterising the acute severity of the patients. However, when these variables were used for adjustment purposes their contribution was negligible. This conclusion might not apply at other locations, in other time periods and for other health conditions if there is heterogeneity in the clinical conditions between hospitals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-014-0495-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Colais
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Via Santa Costanza 53, Rome, 00198, Italy.
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Lahmann NA, Tannen A, Kuntz S, Raeder K, Schmitz G, Dassen T, Kottner J. Mobility is the key! Trends and associations of common care problems in German long-term care facilities from 2008 to 2012. Int J Nurs Stud 2014; 52:167-74. [PMID: 25240483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2014.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although enormous efforts have been made in auditing the quality of care, there are only few epidemiological studies available about the actual occurrence of immobility, malnutrition, urinary incontinence, cognitive impairment, falls and pressure ulcers in long-term care facilities. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to provide prevalence estimates of common nursing care problems in long-term care facilities and to investigate any associations between them. DESIGN Secondary data analysis of five consecutive annual cross-sectional multicenter studies from 2008 to 2012. SETTING 262 different long-term care facilities throughout Germany. PARTICIPANTS 14,798 residents older than 18 years who gave informed consent. METHODS Health conditions were rated based on direct resident examinations according to the current international definitions. Demographic characteristics were compared with available national population statistics. Apart from descriptive statistics, Chi(2) tests were carried out for bivariate and log-regression models were performed for multivariate associations. RESULTS Prevalence rates were stable over the years with the highest prevalence of 73.5% (95% CI 72.8-74.2) being found for urinary incontinence, for cognitive impairment it was 54.1% (95% CI 53.3-54.9) and for immobility it was 36.5% (95% CI 35.7-37.3). The lowest prevalence rates were established for the risk of malnutrition with 13.0 (95% CI 12.4-13.5), for pressure ulcers with 4.8% (95% CI 4.5-5.1) and for falls (4.4% 95% CI 4.1-4.8). In the multivariate model, immobility was most strongly associated with all of the other conditions. No statistically significant associations were found between pressure ulcers and falls, pressure ulcers and urinary incontinence, pressure ulcers and cognitive impairment and between malnutrition and urinary incontinence. CONCLUSION Decision-makers and clinical practitioners may primarily focus on the maintenance and enhancement of mobility, because this seems to be the key predictor for many other health conditions in the context of care dependency in the nursing home setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils A Lahmann
- Department of Nursing Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
| | - Antje Tannen
- Department of Nursing Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kuntz
- Department of Nursing Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathrin Raeder
- Department of Nursing Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriela Schmitz
- Department of Nursing Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Theo Dassen
- Department of Nursing Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Kottner
- Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
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Renzi C, Asta F, Fusco D, Agabiti N, Davoli M, Perucci CA. Does public reporting improve the quality of hospital care for acute myocardial infarction? Results from a regional outcome evaluation program in Italy. Int J Qual Health Care 2014; 26:223-30. [PMID: 24737832 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzu041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether public reporting of performance data was associated with a change over time in quality indicators for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Italian hospitals. DESIGN Pre-post evaluation of AMI indicators in the Lazio region, before and after disclosure of the Regional Outcome Evaluation Program, and a comparative evaluation versus other Italian regions not participating in the program. SETTING/DATA SOURCES Nationwide Hospital Information System and vital status records. PARTICIPANTS 24 800 patients treated for AMI in Lazio and 39 350 in the other regions. INTERVENTION Public reporting of the Regional Outcome Evaluation Program in the Lazio region. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Risk-adjusted indicators for AMI. RESULTS The proportion of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) within 48 h in Lazio changed from 31.3 to 48.7%, before and after public reporting, respectively (relative increase 56%; P < 0.001). In the other regions, the proportion increased from 51.5 to 58.4% (relative increase 13%; P < 0.001). Overall 30-day mortality and 30-day mortality for patients treated with PCI did not improve during the study period. The 30-day mortality for STEMI patients not treated with PCI in Lazio was significantly higher in 2009 (29.0%) versus 2006/07 (24.0%) (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Public reporting may have contributed to increasing the proportion of STEMI patients treated with timely PCI. The mortality outcomes should be interpreted with caution. Changes in AMI diagnostic and coding systems should also be considered. Risk-adjusted quality indicators represent a fundamental instrument for monitoring and potentially enhancing quality of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Renzi
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Asta
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Fusco
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Nera Agabiti
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
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Greenfield D, Hinchcliff R, Pawsey M, Westbrook J, Braithwaite J. The public disclosure of accreditation information in Australia: stakeholder perceptions of opportunities and challenges. Health Policy 2013; 113:151-9. [PMID: 24094761 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2013] [Revised: 09/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Public disclosure is increasingly a requirement of accrediting agencies and governments. There are few published empirical evaluations of disclosure interventions that inform evidence-based implementation or policy. This study investigated the practices associated with the public disclosure of healthcare accreditation information, in addition to multi-stakeholder perceptions of key challenges and opportunities for improvement. We conducted a mixed methods study comprising analysis of disclosure practices by accreditation agencies, and 47 semi-structured individual or group interviews involving 258 people. Participants were diverse stakeholders associated with Australian primary, acute and residential aged care accreditation programmes. Four interrelated issues were identified. First, there was broad agreement that accreditation information should be publicly disclosed, although the three accreditation agencies differed in the information they made public. Second, two implementation issues emerged: the need to educate the community about accreditation information, and the practical question of the detail to be provided. Third, the impact, both positive and negative, of disclosing accreditation information was raised. Fourth, the lack of knowledge about the impact on consumers was discussed. Public disclosure of accreditation information is an idea that has widespread support. However, translating the idea into practice, so as to produce appropriate, meaningful information, is a challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Greenfield
- Centre for Clinical Governance Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, Australia.
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Berta P, Seghieri C, Vittadini G. Comparing health outcomes among hospitals: the experience of the Lombardy Region. Health Care Manag Sci 2013; 16:245-57. [PMID: 23529708 DOI: 10.1007/s10729-013-9227-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Agabiti N, Stafoggia M, Davoli M, Fusco D, Barone AP, Perucci CA. Thirty-day complications after laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy: a population-based cohort study in Italy. BMJ Open 2013; 3:bmjopen-2012-001943. [PMID: 23408075 PMCID: PMC3586184 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of the study is to evaluate short-term complications after laparoscopic (LC) or open cholecystectomy (OC) in patients with gallstones by using linked hospital discharge data. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. SETTING Data were obtained from the Regional Hospital Discharge Registry Lazio Region in Central Italy (around 5 million inhabitants) in 2007-2008. PARTICIPANTS All patients admitted to hospitals of Lazio with symptomatic gallstones (International Classification of disease, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM)=574) who underwent LC (ICD-9-CM 51.23) or OC (ICD-9-CM 51.22). OUTCOME MEASURES (1)'30-day surgical-related complications' defined as any complication of the biliary tract (including postoperative infection, haemorrhage or haematoma or seroma complicating a procedure, persistent postoperative fistula, perforation of bile duct and disruption of wound). (2) '30-day systemic complications' defined as any complications of other organs (including sepsis, infections from other organs, major cardiovascular events and selected adverse events). RESULTS 13 651 patients were included; 86.1% had LC, 13.9% OC. 2.0% experienced surgical-related complications (SRC), 2.1% systemic complications (SC). The OR of complications after LC versus OC was 0.60 (p<0.001) for SRC and 0.52 (p<0.001) for SC. In relation to SRC, the advantage of LC was consistent across age categories, severity of gallstones and previous upper abdominal surgery, whereas there was no advantage among people with emergency admission (OR=0.94, p=0.764). For SC, no significant advantage of LC was seen among very old people (OR=0.99, p=0.975) and among those with previous upper abdominal surgery (OR=0.86, p=0.905). CONCLUSIONS This large observational study confirms that LC is more effective than OC with respect to 30-day complications. Population-based linkage of administrative datasets can enlarge evidence of treatment benefits in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nera Agabiti
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Stafoggia
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Fusco
- Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
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Renzi C, Sorge C, Fusco D, Agabiti N, Davoli M, Perucci CA. Reporting of quality indicators and improvement in hospital performance: the P.Re.Val.E. Regional Outcome Evaluation Program. Health Serv Res 2012; 47:1880-901. [PMID: 22985031 PMCID: PMC3513610 DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2012.01401.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether reporting of hospital performance was associated with a change in quality indicators in Italian hospitals. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Nationwide Hospital Information System for 2006-2009. STUDY DESIGN We performed a pre-post evaluation in Lazio (before and after disclosure of the Regional Outcome Evaluation Program P.Re.Val.E.) and a comparative evaluation versus Italian regions without comparable programs. We analyzed risk-adjusted proportions of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), hip fractures operated on within 48 hours, and cesarean deliveries. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Using standardized ICD-9-CM coding algorithms, we selected 381,053 acute myocardial infarction patients, 250,712 hip fractures, and 1,736,970 women who had given birth. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In Lazio PCI within 48 hours changed from 22.49 to 29.43 percent following reporting of the P.Re.Val.E results (relative increase, 31 percent; p < .001). In the other regions this proportion increased from 22.48 to 27.09 percent during the same time period (relative increase, 21 percent; p < .001). Hip fractures operated on within 48 hours increased from 11.73 to 15.78 percent (relative increase, 34 percent; p < .001) in Lazio, and not in other regions (29.36 to 28.57 percent). Cesarean deliveries did not decrease in Lazio (34.57-35.30 percent), and only slightly decreased in the other regions (30.49-28.11 percent). CONCLUSIONS Reporting of performance data may have a positive but limited impact on quality improvement. The evaluation of quality indicators remains paramount for public accountability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Renzi
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health ServiceItaly
| | - Chiara Sorge
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health ServiceVia Santa Costanza 53, 00198, Rome, Italy
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health ServiceItaly
| | - Danilo Fusco
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health ServiceItaly
| | - Nera Agabiti
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health ServiceItaly
| | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health ServiceItaly
| | - Carlo A Perucci
- Outcome Research, National Agency of Regional Health ServicesItaly
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