The Analytic Link Between Population Health and Leading Hospital and Ambulatory Patient Safety Considerations

Abstract

The use of data for identifying individuals at risk for chronic or high-cost health conditions has been expanding over the past dozen years. The availability of data from patient electronic health records and other sources close to the patient, such as through continuous physiologic monitoring, are demonstrating that information from these sources can greatly assist in both identifying the patients most likely to be at-risk as well as providing the insight into which patients, once diagnosed, are likely to experience adverse events while in-hospital or at-home. In this chapter, the authors discuss key health-related patient safety issues and how the use of data from population-based sources such as health information exchanges (HIEs), electronic health record systems (EHRs), and real-time sources such as continuous physiologic monitoring can assist in diagnosing and identifying key markers of patient adverse events. The interpretation of these data can result in earlier intervention at the bedside that have an impact on patient safety and the health of individuals.

Key Terms in this Chapter

Electronic Health Record System: A charting system for the capture, presentation and clinical interaction of frontline personnel with patients for the purpose of managing, directing and diagnosing patient ailments and directing general care. These systems have supplanted legacy paper charting and provide the single interaction point for assessing patients by housing all relevant patient demographic, historical, discrete vital signs data, orders, imagery (i.e., all captured patient images), medications and dosing.