Influenza surveillance using electronic health records in the American Indian and Alaska Native population

Objective

Increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs) provides new opportunities for public health surveillance. During the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus pandemic, we developed a new EHR-based influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance system designed to be resource sparing, rapidly scalable, and flexible. 4 weeks after the first pandemic case, ILI data from Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities were being analyzed.

Materials and methods

The system defines ILI as a patient visit containing either an influenza-specific International Classification of Disease, V.9 (ICD-9) code or one or more of 24 ILI-related ICD-9 codes plus a documented temperature ≥100°F. EHR-based data are uploaded nightly. To validate results, ILI visits identified by the new system were compared to ILI visits found by medical record review, and the new system''s results were compared with those of the traditional US ILI Surveillance Network.

Results

The system monitored ILI activity at an average of 60% of the 269 IHS electronic health databases. EHR-based surveillance detected ILI visits with a sensitivity of 96.4% and a specificity of 97.8% based on chart review (N=2375) of visits at two facilities in September 2009. At the peak of the pandemic (week 41, October 17, 2009), the median time from an ILI visit to data transmission was 6 days, with a mode of 1 day.

Discussion

EHR-based ILI surveillance was accurate, timely, occurred at the majority of IHS facilities nationwide, and provided useful information for decision makers. EHRs thus offer the opportunity to transform public health surveillance.     

Innovative information visualization of electronic health record data: a systematic review

Objective This study investigates the use of visualization techniques reported between 1996 and 2013 and evaluates innovative approaches to information visualization of electronic health record (EHR) data for knowledge discovery.Methods An electronic literature search was conducted May–July 2013 using MEDLINE and Web of Knowledge, supplemented by citation searching, gray literature searching, and reference list reviews. General search terms were used to assure a comprehensive document search.Results Beginning with 891 articles, the number of articles was reduced by eliminating 191 duplicates. A matrix was developed for categorizing all abstracts and to assist with determining those to be excluded for review. Eighteen articles were included in the final analysis.Discussion Several visualization techniques have been extensively researched. The most mature system is LifeLines and its applications as LifeLines2, EventFlow, and LifeFlow. Initially, research focused on records from a single patient and visualization of the complex data related to one patient. Since 2010, the techniques under investigation are for use with large numbers of patient records and events. Most are linear and allow interaction through scaling and zooming to resize. Color, density, and filter techniques are commonly used for visualization.Conclusions With the burgeoning increase in the amount of electronic healthcare data, the potential for knowledge discovery is significant if data are managed in innovative and effective ways. We identify challenges discovered by previous EHR visualization research, which will help researchers who seek to design and improve visualization techniques.     

Agreement of Medicaid claims and electronic health records for assessing preventive care quality among adults

To compare the agreement of electronic health record (EHR) data versus Medicaid claims data in documenting adult preventive care. Insurance claims are commonly used to measure care quality. EHR data could serve this purpose, but little information exists about how this source compares in service documentation. For 13 101 Medicaid-insured adult patients attending 43 Oregon community health centers, we compared documentation of 11 preventive services, based on EHR versus Medicaid claims data. Documentation was comparable for most services. Agreement was highest for influenza vaccination (κ =  0.77; 95% CI 0.75 to 0.79), cholesterol screening (κ = 0.80; 95% CI 0.79 to 0.81), and cervical cancer screening (κ = 0.71; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.73), and lowest on services commonly referred out of primary care clinics and those that usually do not generate claims. EHRs show promise for use in quality reporting. Strategies to maximize data capture in EHRs are needed to optimize the use of EHR data for service documentation.     

电子病历对病案回收效率及病案首页数据质量的影响

目的探讨电子病历对病案回收效率及病案首页质量的影响,为电子病历的推广提供参考。方法回顾性分析广西某三甲医院实施电子病历前(2011年1月1日～12月31日)、后(2012年1月1日～12月31日)所有临床科室的病案回收数量、回收率、平均回收时间,从完整性、逻辑性、规范性3个维度对实施电子病历前后2个时段病案首页数据质量进行评估。结果实施电子病历后2、3、7个工作日回收率分别由23.78%提高到42.45%、由38.17%提高到56.55%、由86.12%提高到92.75%(P=0.000),平均回收时间由(4.50±1.50)d降低至(3.42±1.10)d,差异具有统计学意义(t=33.118,P=0.000)。应用电子病历后病案首页项目完整率、规范率和逻辑符合率明显优于应用电子病历前。结论电子病历明显提高病案回收率,提高病案首页质量,值得医院推广。     

区块链技术在电子健康档案中的应用与存在的问题

我国电子健康档案建设还处于初级阶段,数据的交互与利用和数据隐私安全问题之间的矛盾尚未能得到很好解决.区块链技术的出现,为数据共享与隐私之间的矛盾问题提供了新的解决方案.通过总结区块链技术在国内外电子健康档案中的应用及存在的问题,为区块链技术在电子健康档案建设中的发展提供借鉴.     

Query Health: standards-based,cross-platform population health surveillance

Objective

Understanding population-level health trends is essential to effectively monitor and improve public health. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Query Health initiative is a collaboration to develop a national architecture for distributed, population-level health queries across diverse clinical systems with disparate data models. Here we review Query Health activities, including a standards-based methodology, an open-source reference implementation, and three pilot projects.

Materials and methods

Query Health defined a standards-based approach for distributed population health queries, using an ontology based on the Quality Data Model and Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture, Health Quality Measures Format (HQMF) as the query language, the Query Envelope as the secure transport layer, and the Quality Reporting Document Architecture as the result language.

Results

We implemented this approach using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) and hQuery for data analytics and PopMedNet for access control, secure query distribution, and response. We deployed the reference implementation at three pilot sites: two public health departments (New York City and Massachusetts) and one pilot designed to support Food and Drug Administration post-market safety surveillance activities. The pilots were successful, although improved cross-platform data normalization is needed.

Discussions

This initiative resulted in a standards-based methodology for population health queries, a reference implementation, and revision of the HQMF standard. It also informed future directions regarding interoperability and data access for ONC''s Data Access Framework initiative.

Conclusions

Query Health was a test of the learning health system that supplied a functional methodology and reference implementation for distributed population health queries that has been validated at three sites.     

Design and evaluation of a wireless electronic health records system for field care in mass casualty settings

Background

There is growing interest in the use of technology to enhance the tracking and quality of clinical information available for patients in disaster settings. This paper describes the design and evaluation of the Wireless Internet Information System for Medical Response in Disasters (WIISARD).

Materials and methods

WIISARD combined advanced networking technology with electronic triage tags that reported victims'' position and recorded medical information, with wireless pulse-oximeters that monitored patient vital signs, and a wireless electronic medical record (EMR) for disaster care. The EMR system included WiFi handheld devices with barcode scanners (used by front-line responders) and computer tablets with role-tailored software (used by managers of the triage, treatment, transport and medical communications teams). An additional software system provided situational awareness for the incident commander. The WIISARD system was evaluated in a large-scale simulation exercise designed for training first responders. A randomized trial was overlaid on this exercise with 100 simulated victims, 50 in a control pathway (paper-based), and 50 in completely electronic WIISARD pathway. All patients in the electronic pathway were cared for within the WIISARD system without paper-based workarounds.

Results

WIISARD reduced the rate of the missing and/or duplicated patient identifiers (0% vs 47%, p<0.001). The total time of the field was nearly identical (38:20 vs 38:23, IQR 26:53–1:05:32 vs 18:55–57:22).

Conclusion

Overall, the results of WIISARD show that wireless EMR systems for care of the victims of disasters would be complex to develop but potentially feasible to build and deploy, and likely to improve the quality of information available for the delivery of care during disasters.     

电子病案与数字化影像病案管理

目的探讨建立数字化病案管理网络,从中挖掘和提炼出丰富的信息用于决策和科研教学,达到广泛应用病案信息的目的。方法通过对纸质病案数字化、电子病案的规范管理,开发数字化病案管理网络体系及构建网络利用信息平台,使病案信息管理系统与全院内部网络之间完美结合。结果建立了纸质病案数字化管理系统及电子病案管理模式,使病案的形成过程、存储方式及使用方法都符合管理规范,力求达到病案数字化存储、安全可靠、资料完整、利用快捷方便、信息资源网上共享等要求,能够满足医院信息化对病案管理的需求。结论使用信息化手段可以提升医院病案管理水平。     

国外居民电子健康档案共享服务体系建设及启示

居民电子健康档案与区域卫生信息网络在全世界范围内正在成为医疗卫生信息化的前沿阵地。而区域卫生信息网络的核心是居民电子健康档案服务的共享。本文从组织机构、政策法规制定、数据共享标准和重视数据安全与隐私保护四方面介绍国外主要国家居民电子健康档案的共享服务体系建设,以期为我国共享服务体系建设提供借鉴。     

基于职能的城乡居民医保电子文件分类体系建设

随着城乡居民医疗保险整合进程的推进和信息技术在城乡居民医保中的引进,城乡居民医保电子文件大量产生。为适应我国整合后城乡居民医保电子文件管理的需要,对电子文件进行科学合理的分类,提高电子文件管理标准化水平,促进城乡居民医保工作持续健康发展。在对新农合、城镇居民医保业务活动分析的基础上,探讨了整合后城乡居民医保的业务活动和城乡居民医保电子文件的分类,旨在建立一套切合城乡居民医保工作实际的分类体系,以适应信息技术和城乡居民医保事业发展的需要。     

An analysis of electronic health record-related patient safety concerns

Objective

A recent Institute of Medicine report called for attention to safety issues related to electronic health records (EHRs). We analyzed EHR-related safety concerns reported within a large, integrated healthcare system.

Methods

The Informatics Patient Safety Office of the Veterans Health Administration (VA) maintains a non-punitive, voluntary reporting system to collect and investigate EHR-related safety concerns (ie, adverse events, potential events, and near misses). We analyzed completed investigations using an eight-dimension sociotechnical conceptual model that accounted for both technical and non-technical dimensions of safety. Using the framework analysis approach to qualitative data, we identified emergent and recurring safety concerns common to multiple reports.

Results

We extracted 100 consecutive, unique, closed investigations between August 2009 and May 2013 from 344 reported incidents. Seventy-four involved unsafe technology and 25 involved unsafe use of technology. A majority (70%) involved two or more model dimensions. Most often, non-technical dimensions such as workflow, policies, and personnel interacted in a complex fashion with technical dimensions such as software/hardware, content, and user interface to produce safety concerns. Most (94%) safety concerns related to either unmet data-display needs in the EHR (ie, displayed information available to the end user failed to reduce uncertainty or led to increased potential for patient harm), software upgrades or modifications, data transmission between components of the EHR, or ‘hidden dependencies’ within the EHR.

Discussion

EHR-related safety concerns involving both unsafe technology and unsafe use of technology persist long after ‘go-live’ and despite the sophisticated EHR infrastructure represented in our data source. Currently, few healthcare institutions have reporting and analysis capabilities similar to the VA.

Conclusions

Because EHR-related safety concerns have complex sociotechnical origins, institutions with long-standing as well as recent EHR implementations should build a robust infrastructure to monitor and learn from them.     

电子病历、手持移动终端、大数据采集与分析、数据安全在医疗质控中的应用

介绍了电子病历、手持移动终端、大数据采集与分析、数据安全在医疗质控中的应用。     

国外电子健康档案发展现况及借鉴

电子健康档案是国内外卫生信息化研究的热点。本文探讨了电子健康档案的涵义与作用,分析国外电子健康档案的发展现状,以期为我国电子健康档案的建设提供借鉴。     

Characterizing phenotypic abnormalities associated with high-risk individuals developing lung cancer using electronic health records from the All of Us researcher workbench

ObjectiveThe study sought to test the feasibility of conducting a phenome-wide association study to characterize phenotypic abnormalities associated with individuals at high risk for lung cancer using electronic health records.Materials and MethodsWe used the beta release of the All of Us Researcher Workbench with clinical and survey data from a population of 225 000 subjects. We identified 3 cohorts of individuals at high risk to develop lung cancer based on (1) the 2013 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force criteria, (2) the long-term quitters of cigarette smoking criteria, and (3) the younger age of onset criteria. We applied the logistic regression analysis to identify the significant associations between individuals’ phenotypes and their risk categories. We validated our findings against a lung cancer cohort from the same population and conducted an expert review to understand whether these associations are known or potentially novel.ResultsWe found a total of 214 statistically significant associations (P < .05 with a Bonferroni correction and odds ratio > 1.5) enriched in the high-risk individuals from 3 cohorts, and 15 enriched in the low-risk individuals. Forty significant associations enriched in the high-risk individuals and 13 enriched in the low-risk individuals were validated in the cancer cohort. Expert review identified 15 potentially new associations enriched in the high-risk individuals.ConclusionsIt is feasible to conduct a phenome-wide association study to characterize phenotypic abnormalities associated in high-risk individuals developing lung cancer using electronic health records. The All of Us Research Workbench is a promising resource for the research studies to evaluate and optimize lung cancer screening criteria.     

Let the left hand know what the right is doing: a vision for care coordination and electronic health records

Despite the potential for electronic health records to help providers coordinate care, the current marketplace has failed to provide adequate solutions. Using a simple framework, we describe a vision of information technology capabilities that could substantially improve four care coordination activities: identifying collaborators, contacting collaborators, collaborating, and monitoring. Collaborators can include any individual clinician, caregiver, or provider organization involved in care for a given patient. This vision can be used to guide the development of care coordination tools and help policymakers track and promote their adoption.     

Towards semantic search and inference in electronic medical records: An approach using concept--based information retrieval

Background

This paper presents a novel approach to searching electronic medical records that is based on concept matching rather than keyword matching.

Aim

The concept-based approach is intended to overcome specific challenges we identified in searching medical records.

Method

Queries and documents were transformed from their term-based originals into medical concepts as defined by the SNOMED-CT ontology.

Results

Evaluation on a real-world collection of medical records showed our concept-based approach outperformed a keyword baseline by 25% in Mean Average Precision.

Conclusion

The concept-based approach provides a framework for further development of inference based search systems for dealing with medical data.     

e-Measures: insight into the challenges and opportunities of automating publicly reported quality measures

Using electronic health records (EHR) to automate publicly reported quality measures is receiving increasing attention and is one of the promises of EHR implementation. Kaiser Permanente has fully or partly automated six of 13 the joint commission measure sets. We describe our experience with automation and the resulting time savings: a reduction by approximately 50% of abstractor time required for one measure set alone (surgical care improvement project). However, our experience illustrates the gap between the current and desired states of automated public quality reporting, which has important implications for measure developers, accrediting entities, EHR vendors, public/private payers, and government.