Biomaterial Database

Measuring outcomes in the postacute continuum. 1995

K M Kilgore

Integrated Health Services, Inc., Owings Mills, MD 21117, USA.

Measuring outcomes across the postacute continuum presents both practical and technical challenges. It requires capturing a variety of information across multiple therapeutic disciplines and care settings. While this information is collapsed into a single patient record, the ability to assess the contribution of each component to the overall outcome must be retained. Current health care data systems tend to fragment the information into discrete stays. Extant outcome instruments are perceived as being insensitive to change in noninpatient settings. The technology exists to correct shortcomings in both the information and the outcome assessment systems. The latter difficulties are the more complex, but by understanding the relationship between the measuring instrument and what it measures, and by properly matching the instrument to the level of the patient and the goals of the treatment program, many obstacles to effective outcomes management in the postacute continuum can be overcome. In a time of rapid change and experimentation in health care, however, outcomes managers must recognize that negative outcome data can result from ineffective programs as well as inappropriate instruments.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007902	Length of Stay	The period of confinement of a patient to a hospital or other health facility.	Hospital Stay,Hospital Stays,Stay Length,Stay Lengths,Stay, Hospital,Stays, Hospital
D010351	Patient Discharge	The administrative process of discharging the patient, alive or dead, from hospitals or other health facilities.	Discharge Planning,Discharge Plannings,Discharge, Patient,Discharges, Patient,Patient Discharges,Planning, Discharge,Plannings, Discharge
D011383	Progressive Patient Care	Organization of medical and nursing care according to the degree of illness and care requirements in the hospital. The elements are intensive care, intermediate care, self-care, long-term care, and organized home care.	Care, Progressive Patient,Cares, Progressive Patient,Patient Care, Progressive,Patient Cares, Progressive,Progressive Patient Cares
D012046	Rehabilitation	Restoration of human functions to the maximum degree possible in a person or persons suffering from disease or injury.	Habilitation
D003266	Continuity of Patient Care	Health care provided on a continuing basis from the initial contact, following the patient through all phases of medical care.	Continuum of Care,Continuity of Care,Care Continuity,Care Continuity, Patient,Care Continuum,Patient Care Continuity
D006304	Health Status	The level of health of the individual, group, or population as subjectively assessed by the individual or by more objective measures.	General Health,General Health Level,General Health Status,Level of Health,Overall Health,Overall Health Status,General Health Levels,Health Level,Health Level, General,Health Levels,Health Status, General,Health Status, Overall,Health, General,Health, Overall,Level, General Health,Levels, General Health,Status, General Health,Status, Health,Status, Overall Health
D006751	Hospital Information Systems	Integrated, computer-assisted systems designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information concerned with the administrative and clinical aspects of providing medical services within the hospital.	Multi-Hospital Information Systems,Information System, Hospital,Information System, Multihospital,Information Systems, Hospital,Information Systems, Multihospital,Multihospital Information Systems,Hospital Information System,Information System, Multi-Hospital,Information Systems, Multi-Hospital,Multi Hospital Information Systems,Multi-Hospital Information System,Multihospital Information System
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D017050	Episode of Care	An interval of care by a health care facility or provider for a specific medical problem or condition. It may be continuous or it may consist of a series of intervals marked by one or more brief separations from care, and can also identify the sequence of care (e.g., emergency, inpatient, outpatient), thus serving as one measure of health care provided.	Patient Care Episodes,Episodes of Care,Care Episode,Care Episodes,Episode, Patient Care,Episodes, Patient Care,Patient Care Episode
D017063	Outcome Assessment, Health Care	Research aimed at assessing the quality and effectiveness of health care as measured by the attainment of a specified end result or outcome. Measures include parameters such as improved health, lowered morbidity or mortality, and improvement of abnormal states (such as elevated blood pressure).	Assessment, Outcome,Outcome Assessment,Outcome Assessment (Health Care),Outcomes Research,Assessment, Outcomes,Outcome Measures,Outcome Studies,Outcomes Assessment,Assessment, Outcome (Health Care),Assessments, Outcome,Assessments, Outcome (Health Care),Assessments, Outcomes,Measure, Outcome,Measures, Outcome,Outcome Assessments,Outcome Assessments (Health Care),Outcome Measure,Outcome Study,Outcomes Assessments,Research, Outcomes,Studies, Outcome,Study, Outcome