Comparison of EHR Data-Completeness in Patients with Different Types of Medical Insurance Coverage in the United States

Prior studies have demonstrated that misclassification of study variables due to electronic health record (EHR)-discontinuity can be mitigated by restricting EHR-based analyses to subjects with high predicted EHR-continuity based on a simple algorithm. In this study, we compared EHR continuity in populations covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial insurance. Using claims-linked EHRs from a multicenter network in Massachusetts, including Medicare (MA EHR-Medicare cohort) and Medicaid (MA EHR-Medicaid cohort) claims data; and TriNetX (TriNetX cohort) claims-linked EHR data from 11 US-based healthcare organizations, we assessed (1) EHR-continuity quantified by proportion of encounters captured by EHR (capture proportion (CP)); (2) area under receiver operating curve (AUROC) of previously validated model to identify patients with high EHR-continuity (CP ≥ 0.6); (3) misclassification of 40 patient characteristics, quantified by average standardized absolute mean difference (ASAMD). Study participants were ≥ 65 years (Medicare) or ≥ 18 years (Medicaid, TriNetX) with ≥ 365 days of continuous insurance enrollment overlapping with an EHR encounter. We found that the mean CP was 0.30, 0.18, and 0.19 and AUROC of the prediction model to identify patients with high EHR-continuity was 0.92, 0.89, and 0.77 in the MA EHR-Medicare, MA EHR-Medicaid, and TriNetX cohorts, respectively. Restricting to patients with predicted EHR-continuity percentile of top 20%, 50%, and 50% in MA EHR-Medicare, MA EHR-Medicaid, and TriNetX cohorts resulted in acceptable levels of misclassification (ASAMD < 0.1). Using a prediction model to identify cohorts with high EHR-continuity can improve validity, but cutoffs to achieve this goal vary by population.

The Impact of Longitudinal Data-Completeness of Electronic Health Record Data on the Prediction Performance of Clinical Risk Scores

The impact of electronic health record (EHR) discontinuity (i.e., receiving care outside of a given EHR system) on EHR-based risk prediction is unknown. We aimed to assess the impact of EHR-continuity on the performance of clinical risk scores. The study cohort consisted of patients aged ≥ 65 years with ≥ 1 EHR encounter in the 2 networks in Massachusetts (MA; 2007/1/1-2017/12/31, internal training and validation dataset), and one network in North Carolina (NC; 2007/1/1-2016/12/31, external validation dataset) that were linked with Medicare claims data. Risk scores were calculated using EHR data alone vs. linked EHR-claims data (not subject to misclassification due to EHR-discontinuity): (i) combined comorbidity score (CCS), (ii) claim-based frailty score (CFI), (iii) CHAD2 DS2 -VASc, and (iv) Hypertension, Abnormal renal/liver function, Stroke, Bleeding, Labile, Elderly, and Drugs (HAS-BLED). We assessed the performance of CCS and CFI predicting death, CHAD2 DS2 -VASc predicting ischemic stroke, and HAS-BLED predicting bleeding by area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), stratified by quartiles of predicted EHR-continuity (Q1-4). There were 319,740 patients in the MA systems and 125,380 in the NC system. In the external validation dataset, AUROC for EHR-based CCS predicting 1-year risk of death was 0.583 in Q1 (lowest) EHR-continuity group, which increased to 0.739 in Q4 (highest) EHR-continuity group. The corresponding improvement in AUROC was 0.539 to 0.647 for CFI, 0.556 to 0.637 for CHAD2 DS2 -VASc, and 0.517 to 0.556 for HAS-BLED. The AUROC in Q4 EHR-continuity group based on EHR alone approximates that based on EHR-claims data. The prediction performance of four clinical risk scores was substantially worse in patients with lower vs. high EHR-continuity.

Effectiveness research in oncology with electronic health record data: A retrospective cohort study emulating the PALOMA-2 trial

PURPOSE

Oncology electronic health record (EHR) databases have increased in quality and availability over the past decade, yet it remains unclear whether these clinical practice data can be used to conduct reliable comparative effectiveness studies. We sought to emulate a clinical trial with EHR data in the advanced breast cancer population and compare our results against the trial.

METHODS

This cohort study used EHR data from US oncology practices. All elements of the study were defined to mimic the PALOMA-2 trial as closely as possible. Patients with hormone-positive, HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer with no prior treatment for metastatic disease were included. Patients initiating palbociclib and letrozole on the same day following the earliest record of metastasis were compared to those initiating letrozole only. The primary associational measure was the conditional hazard ratio for time-to-next treatment (TTNT). TTNT is well-measured in our data source and amenable for calibration against the randomized study results of the PALOMA-2 trial. We used multiple imputation for several patient characteristics with missing values.

RESULTS

There were 3836 study-eligible women with advanced breast cancer. The hazard ratio for TTNT in the observational study (HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.56-0.68) was closely aligned with that of the randomized trial (HR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.52-0.78).

CONCLUSIONS

Under our assumptions on missing data and comparability of the two study populations, results from our non-randomized study closely matched that of the randomized trial. Further studies are needed to determine whether EHR data can yield reliable conclusions on treatment effects in oncology.

Oncology Drug Effectiveness from Electronic Health Record Data Calibrated Against RCT Evidence: The PARSIFAL Trial Emulation

Background

The use of electronic health records (EHR) data to assess drug effectiveness in clinical oncology practice is of great interest to regulators, clinicians, and payers. However, the utility of EHR data in clinical effectiveness studies may be limited by missing data, unmeasured confounding, and imperfect outcome surveillance. This study sought to emulate and compare the results of a randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy of palbociclib with fulvestrant vs letrozole in advanced breast cancer.

Methods

This was a cohort study using longitudinal EHR data derived from outpatient oncology practices in the United States. Eligibility criteria from the PARSIFAL trial were emulated as closely as possible. Patients were included if they had hormone-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor - 2 (HER-2) negative metastatic breast cancer and had no record of prior treatment for metastatic disease. Patients initiating first-line treatment with palbociclib and fulvestrant following their first record of metastasis were compared to those initiating palbociclib and letrozole on the same day. Treatments were ascertained by oncology medication ordering records in the data source. The primary outcome was death as recorded in the oncologists' EHR systems.

Results

There were 1886 eligible women in the study cohort. Although the 3-year survival was meaningfully lower in clinical practice (59%) compared to the randomized trial (78%), the relative effect size was a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.07 (95% CI: 0.86-1.35), similar to the randomized trial (HR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.68-1.48).

Conclusion

Despite common challenges encountered in EHR-based studies, it is possible to achieve similar conclusions to emulated randomized trials with the application of analytic approaches that address missing data, confounding, and selection bias. This is a promising finding in light of other emulations and ongoing efforts to improve data from clinical practice and causal analytics.

Real-World Evidence Prediction of a Phase IV Oncology Trial: Comparative Degarelix vs Leuprolide Safety

BACKGROUND

Medical and regulatory communities are increasingly interested in the utility of real-world evidence (RWE) for answering questions pertaining to drug safety and effectiveness but concerns about validity remain. A principled approach to conducting RWE studies may alleviate concerns and increase confidence in findings. This study sought to predict the findings from the PRONOUNCE trial using a principled approach to generating RWE.

METHODS

This propensity-score (PS) matched observational cohort study utilized 3 claims databases to compare the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among initiators of degarelix vs. leuprolide. Patients were included if they had history of prostate cancer and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Subjects were excluded if they didn't have continuous database enrollment in the year prior to treatment initiation, were exposed to androgen deprivation therapy or experienced an acute cardiovascular event within 30 days prior to treatment initiation, or had a history or risk factors of QT prolongation.

RESULTS

There were 12,448 leuprolide and 1,969 degarelix study-eligible patients before matching, with 1,887 in each arm after PS-matching. The results for MACE comparing degarelix to leuprolide in the observational analysis (hazard ratio= 1.35; 95% confidence interval = 0.94-1.93) was consistent with the subsequently released PRONOUNCE result (hazard ratio = 1.28; 95% confidence interval = 0.59-2.79).

CONCLUSIONS

This study successfully predicted the result of a comparative cardiovascular safety trial in the oncology setting. Although the findings are encouraging, limitations of measuring cancer stage and tumor progression are representative of challenges in attempting to generalize whether claims-based RWE can be used as actionable evidence.

The Effect of Performance Transparency on Adherence to Barcode Scanning During Order Preparation in an Adult Inpatient Satellite Pharmacy

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of performance transparency and individualized feedback on pharmacy technician compliance with barcode verification technology during inpatient order preparation. Methods: Following the incorporation of barcode scanning technology into the workflow of pharmacy staff, a multiphasic intervention was employed to promote its use. The intervention included verbal feedback and publically posting performance metrics to increase accountability. An interrupted time-series analysis was conducted to ascertain trends and levels in the percent of orders that were dispensed using barcode verification, before and after the study intervention. Analyses were conducted by shift and overall for pharmacy workers in a single satellite pharmacy. Results: A significant increase in percent scanned orders was observed immediately following the intervention in our analysis of all pharmacy workers (+14.4%; P = .045; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35-28.4). In the analysis of each shift, statistically significant increases in percent scanned orders were observed immediately following the intervention for both the evening shift (+5.1%; P = .024; 95% CI: 0.70-9.6) and the night shift (+29.9%; P = .025; 95% CI: 3.9-55.9), but not the day shift (+2.6; P = .707; 95% CI: -11.1 to 16.2). Conclusion: Increasing transparency of individual and team performance metrics in conjunction with targeted feedback is an effective intervention to improve compliance with barcode scanning technology.

Costs Associated with Productivity Loss Among U.S. Patients Newly Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Receiving Oral Versus Injectable Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

The use of novel drug agents in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) has been associated with improved therapeutic outcomes and survival; however, MM continues to pose a significant economic burden on patients and health care systems. Evaluating economic implications of therapies can provide key points of distinctions between available treatment options. Patients with MM may experience productivity loss, including lost days from work or inability to work due to MM symptoms or to undergoing treatment. Although direct costs of illness have been well described in the literature, indirect costs associated with MM are understudied.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the extent of disability benefit use and resultant workplace productivity loss among U.S. adult patients with newly diagnosed MM who received oral versus injectable MM therapy.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters, Medicare Supplemental Coordination of Benefits, and Health and Productivity Management databases (2008-2015). Workplace absenteeism, as measured by disability benefit use, was evaluated 1 year before and 1 year after first MM diagnosis. Patients receiving only oral chemotherapy were compared with those who received injectable therapy. Absenteeism days and associated costs were compared among study groups using multivariable zero-inflated Poisson regression.

RESULTS

The final study cohort included 299 patients with newly diagnosed MM, of whom 73 received oral therapy only and 226 received injectable therapy. Treatment type was a significant predictor of disability benefit use. Patients who received injectable therapy missed an average of 110 work days in the 1 year after diagnosis, compared with 87 for patients receiving only oral therapy (difference of 23 days, 95% CI = 19-26, P < 0.001). Treatment type was also a significant predictor of costs associated with lost productivity. Patients who received injectable therapy experienced productivity loss valued at $18,315, compared with patients who only received oral drug therapy ($14,429). The difference between these estimates was statistically significant ($3,886, 95% CI = $3,540-$4,231, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients newly diagnosed with MM face significant losses in productivity. Patients receiving injectable MM therapy use significantly more disability benefits and incur higher productivity costs, compared with those receiving oral MM therapy. Further studies elucidating the nature of the differences between injectable and noninjectable chemotherapy users are needed.

DISCLOSURES

This study was funded by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. Yong and Noga are employees of Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Merola reports personal fees from Millennium Pharmaceuticals during the time of this study.

Impact of Displaying Inpatient Pharmaceutical Costs at the Time of Order Entry: Lessons From a Tertiary Care Center

BACKGROUND

A lack of cost-conscious medication use is a major contributor to excessive healthcare expenditures in the inpatient setting. Expensive medicines are often utilized when there are comparable alternatives available at a lower cost. Increasing prescriber awareness of medication cost at the time of ordering may help promote cost-conscious use of medications in the hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of cost messaging on the ordering of 9 expensive medications.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of an institutional cost-transparency initiative.

SETTING

A 1145-bed, tertiary care, academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Prescribers who ordered medications through the computerized provider order entry system at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

METHODS

Interrupted time series and segmented regression models were used to examine prescriber ordering before and after implementation of cost messaging for 9 highcost medications.

RESULTS

Following the implementation of cost messaging, no significant changes were observed in the number of orders or ordering trends for intravenous (IV) formulations of eculizumab, calcitonin, levetiracetam, linezolid, mycophenolate, ribavirin, and levothyroxine. An immediate and sustained reduction in medication utilization was seen in 2 drugs that underwent a policy change during our study, IV pantoprazole and oral voriconazole. IV pantoprazole became restricted at our facility due to a national shortage (-985 orders per 10,000 patient days; 𝑃 < 0.001), and oral voriconazole was replaced with an alternative antifungal in oncology order sets (-110 orders per 10,000 patient days; 𝑃 = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Prescriber cost transparency alone did not significantly influence medication utilization at our institution. Active strategies to reduce ordering resulted in dramatic reductions in ordering.