Depiction of Trends in Administrative Healthcare Data from Hospital Information System

Assessment of public hospitals performance in Gaza governorates using the Pabón Lasso Model

BACKGROUND

Measuring hospital performance can be undertaken in different areas including efficiency, productivity, and quality. Many studies have been conducted using several indicators in this regard.

AIM

This study aimed at measuring efficiency of obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics departments at the public hospitals affiliated with the Palestinian Ministry of Health in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

METHOD

This descriptive study includes 12 hospitals; four (A-D) and eight (E-L) providing obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics services, respectively. Data were collected from health annual reports for the 3-year study period. Pabón Lasso charts were drawn using Microsoft Excel 2013.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

During the 3 years, hospitals B, D and C lied in zones 3, 1 and 2, respectively. Hospital A was in Zone 4 in 2016 and 2018, but in Zone 1 in 2017. In 2016, hospitals E, F and H were in Zone 3, while, hospitals I, J, K, and L were in Zone 1. In 2017, hospital G shifted from Zone 2 to Zone 3, and backed to Zone 2 in 2018. Hospital L has moved from Zone 1 to Zone 2 in 2018, whereas other hospitals have remained in the same zones. Inefficiency in hospitals provides an important opportunity for addressing the gaps in a quality and less costly manner. Emphasis antenatal care in primary healthcare is important. Further researches are required to cover other types of hospitals through employing frontier techniques of efficiency measurement.

Evaluation of performance at Palestinian public hospitals using Pabón Lasso model

BACKGROUND

Hospitals have a paramount role in provision of health care services, which in turn significantly impacts the performance of any health system, especially in developing countries.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Ministry of Health general hospitals in Gaza according to their surgical and internal medicine departments during a 3-year period (2016, 2017 and 2018) using Pabón Lasso model.

METHOD

This descriptive study includes the overall public general hospitals in Gaza Strip (7). Data have been collected from the officially disseminated reports, mainly about average length of stay, bed occupancy rate, and bed turnover ratio in the surgical and internal medicine departments for the study period. Pabón Lasso charts have been drawn using MS Excel 2013.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

For surgical departments, about 42.8% were efficient (zone 3) during the 3 years, while, 42.8% were inefficient (zone 1). Only one hospital was relatively efficient (zone 4) in 2017 and 2018. Regarding internal medicine departments, 28.6%-42.8% of hospitals were efficient during the study period, 14.3%-42.8% were inefficient, and 28.6%-42.8% were relatively efficient (zone 2 and 4). It is recommended to count on such type of analysis in decision-making and identify obstacles for best utilization of the available resources. Inefficiency in hospitals serves as a good opportunity for resources mobilization or innovation in demand-creating interventions, thereby, regular evaluation of resources' distribution. Further research is required by applying frontier techniques of efficiency measurement.

Possible Uses of Data from Hospital Discharge Reports

Almost all countries in the world keep some form of hospital discharge report (HDR). Although there are many variations, every report contains such data as patient demographics, the main cause of hospitalization, comorbidities, the length of stay in hospital and outcome. The advantages of using data obtained from HDRs are numerous: The data from HDRs are already collected in a designated centre and thus easily available and relatively cheap; HDRs contain information for many previous years; they are sometimes more reliable than data obtained through any other method; and finally, they provide a large and representative database. HDRs databases can be connected with other databases using a unified patient identification number. The limitations of using data obtained through HDRs are as follows: inconsistencies in defining and coding diagnoses and applied procedures, common underestimations of comorbidity, limited possible applications in specific studies and partial coverage of inpatient institutions. The prediction that in the future, a growing number of diagnostic and treatment procedures will be performed on an outpatient basis will also limit the use of HDRs. When electronic recordkeeping becomes a practice, we may assume that these data will no longer be needed. There is no perfect model for collection and processing data regarding hospitalized patients. HDRs, with their advantages and disadvantages, currently represent the best way to perceive the size, type, quality and efficiency of the health care services provided to patients at the secondary and tertiary level.