Data quality in hospital information systems: Lessons learned from analyzing 30 years of patient data in a regional German hospital.

BACKGROUND: The integration of Hospital Information Systems (HIS) into healthcare delivery has significantly enhanced patient care and operational efficiency. Nonetheless, the rapid acceleration of digital transformation has led to a substantial increase in the volume of data managed by these systems. This emphasizes the need for robust mechanisms for data management and quality assurance. OBJECTIVE: This study addresses data quality issues related to patient identifiers within the Hospital Information System (HIS) of a regional German hospital, focusing on improving the accuracy and consistency of these administrative data entries. METHODS: Employing a combination of data analysis and expert interviews, this study reviews and programmatically cleanses a dataset with over 2,000,000 patient data entries extracted from the HIS. The areas of investigation are patient admissions, discharges, and geographical data. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that roughly 25% of the dataset was rendered unusable by errors and inconsistencies. By implementing a thorough data cleansing process, we significantly enhanced the utility of the dataset. In doing so, we identified the primary issues affecting data quality, including ambiguities among similar variables and a gap between the intended and actual use of the system. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the critical importance of enhancing data quality in healthcare information systems. This study shows the necessity of a careful review of data extracted from the HIS before it can be reliably utilized for machine learning tasks, thereby rendering the data more usable for both clinical and analytical purposes.

[Geriatric assessment goes digital-Possible applications in the emergency department setting]. / Geriatrisches Assessment goes digital ­ Einsatzmöglichkeiten im Setting der Notaufnahme.

The geriatric assessment is a basic requirement and a key quality parameter in geriatric care. An increasing number of older patients are presenting to emergency or central admission departments and discharge units in hospitals. For this reason, and in view of the time-critical decision-making requirements in this setting, digital applications of basic geriatric assessment data are becoming increasingly more important for the high-quality follow-up care of geriatric patients.

Severity of illness and risk of mortality from all patient refined-diagnosis related groups: Two scales of different concepts or two sides of the same coin?

All patient refined-diagnosis related groups (APR-DRGs) includes severity of illness (SOI) and risk of mortality (ROM) subclasses. For predictions, both subscales are used together or interchangeably. We aimed to compare SOI and ROM by evaluating the reliability and agreement between both. We performed a retrospective observational study using mainland Portuguese public hospitalisations of adult patients from 2011 to 2016. Reliability (quadratic weighted kappa) and agreement (proportion of agreement) between SOI and ROM were analysed overall and by APR-DRG. While overall reliability and agreement between SOI and ROM were high (weighted kappa: 0.717, 95% CI 0.717-0.718; proportion of agreement: 69.0%, 95% CI 69.0-69.0) there was high heterogeneity across APR-DRGs, ranging from 0.016 to 0.846 on reliability and from 23.1% to 94.8% on agreement. Most of APR-DRGs (263 out of 284) showed a higher proportion of episodes with ROM level above the SOI level than the opposite. In conclusion, SOI and Risk of Mortality measures must be clearly distinguished and are 'two scales of different concepts' rather than 'two sides of the same coin'. However, this is more evident for some APR-DRGs than for others.

The Impact of Real-Time Documentation of In-Hospital Medication Changes on Preventing Undocumented Discrepancies at Discharge and Improving Physician-Pharmacist Communication: A Retrospective Cohort Study and Survey.

Background: Transitional medication safety is crucial, as miscommunication about medication changes can lead to significant risks. Unclear or incomplete documentation during care transitions can result in outdated or incorrect medication lists at discharge, potentially causing medication errors, adverse drug events, and inadequate patient education. These issues are exacerbated by extended hospital stays and multiple care events, making accurate medication recall challenging at discharge. Objective: Thus, we aimed to investigate how real-time documentation of in-hospital medication changes prevents undocumented medication changes at discharge and improves physician-pharmacist communication. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital. Two pharmacists reviewed medical records of patients admitted to the acute medical unit from April to June 2020. In-hospital medication discrepancies were determined by comparing preadmission and hospitalization medication lists and it was verified whether the physician's intent of medication changes was clarified by documentation. By a documentation rate of medication changes of 100% and <100%, respectively, fully documented (FD) and partially documented (PD) groups were defined. Any undocumented medication changes at discharge were considered a "documentation error at discharge". Pharmacists' survey was conducted to assess the impact of appropriate documentation on the pharmacists. Results: After reviewing 400 medication records, patients were categorized into FD (61.3%) and PD (38.8%) groups. Documentation errors at discharge were significantly higher in the PD than in the FD group. Factors associated with documentation errors at discharge included belonging to the PD group, discharge from a non-hospitalist-managed ward, and having three or more intentional discrepancies. Pharmacists showed favorable attitudes towards physician's documentation. Conclusion: Appropriate documentation of in-hospital medication changes, facilitated by free-text communication, significantly decreased documentation errors at discharge. This analysis underlines the importance of communication between pharmacists and hospitalists in improving patient safety during transitions of care.

During transitions of care, communication failures among healthcare professionals can lead to medication errors. Therefore, effective sharing of information is essential, especially when intentional changes in prescription orders are made. Documenting medication changes facilitates real-time communication, potentially improving medication reconciliation and reducing discrepancies. However, inadequate documentation of medication changes is common in clinical practice. This retrospective cohort study underlines the importance of real-time documentation of in-hospital medication changes. There was a significant reduction in documentation errors at discharge in fully documented group, where real-time documentation of medication changes was more prevalent. Pharmacists showed favorable attitudes toward the physician's real-time documenting of medication changes because it provided valuable information on understanding the physician's intent and improving communication and also saved time for pharmacists. This study concludes that physicians' documentation on medication changes may reduce documentation errors at discharge, meaning that proper documentation of medication changes could enhance patient safety through effective communication.

Activity, triage levels and impact of the pandemic on hospital emergency departments: A multicentre cross-sectional study.

AIM: Describe the activity of hospital emergency departments (EDs) and the sociodemographic profile of patients in the eight public hospitals in Spain, according to the different triage levels, and to analyse the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on patient flow. DESIGN: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study was carried out. METHODS: Three high-tech public hospitals and five low-tech hospitals consecutively included 2,332,654 adult patients seen in hospital EDs from January 2018 to December 2021. Hospitals belonging to the Catalan Institute of Health. The main variable was triage level, classified according to a standard for the Spanish structured triage system known as Sistema Español de Triaje. For each of the five triage levels, a negative binomial regression model adjusted for year and hospital was performed. The analysis was performed with the R 4.2.2 software. RESULTS: The mean age was 55.4 years. 51.4% were women. The distribution of patients according to the five triage levels was: level 1, 0.41% (n = 9565); level 2, 6.10% (n = 142,187); level 3, 40.2% (n = 938,203); level 4, 42.6% (n = 994,281); level 5, 10.6% (n = 248,418). The sociodemographic profile was similar in terms of gender and age: as the level of severity decreased, the number of women, mostly young, increased. In the period 2020-2021, the emergency rate increased for levels 1, 2 and 3, but levels 4 and 5 remained stable. CONCLUSION: More than half of the patients attended in high-technology hospital EDs were of low severity. The profile of these patients was that of a young, middle-aged population, mostly female. The SARS-CoV2 pandemic did not change this pattern, but an increase in the level of severity was observed. IMPACT: What problem did the study address? There is overcrowding in hospital EDs. What were the main findings? This study found that more than half of the patients attended in high-technology hospital EDs in Spain have low or very low levels of severity. Young, middle-aged women were more likely to visit EDs with low levels of severity. The SARS-CoV2 pandemic did not change this pattern, but an increase in severity was observed. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The research will have an impact on the functioning of hospital EDs and their staff. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Not applicable.

Hospitalizations in older adults from the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, Brazil: data from the Unified Health System, 2016­2018 / Hospitalizações em idosos da Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais, Brasil: dados do Sistema Único de Saúde, 2016­2018

INTRODUCTION: The growing older population increases proportionately the demand for hospital care due to the increase in health problems. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and incidence of hospitalizations, and to investigate associated factors in older adults from the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 2016-2018. Secondly, to provide a more comprehensive epidemiological overview of hospitalizations, the following were estimated: monthly hospitalization rate; hospital mortality rate; frequency of hospitalizations according to diagnosis, hospitalizations for conditions sensitive to primary care and in-hospital death; and hospital costs. METHODS: This is an ecological and descriptive-analytic study. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS). RESULTS: The prevalence of hospitalizations was 35.1% (31.2% in women and 39.7% in men). The monthly rate of hospitalizations was higher in older men when compared with older women (Rate-Ratio=1.35 [95% CI=1.27-1.43]) and adult men between 40­59 years (Rate Ratio=2.42 [95% CI=2.26-2.58]). The cumulative incidence of hospitalization was 144/1,000 older persons (125/1,000 women and 169/1,000 men). Factors significantly associated with hospitalizations were: male sex (PR=1.52 [95% CI=1.11-2.08]); hospitalization in surgical bed (PR=1.93 [95% CI=1.05-3.56]); absence of death (PR=1.94 [95% CI=1.03-3.65]); and hospital stay ≥15 days (PR=0.71 [95% CI=0.54 0.95]). The cost of hospitalizations was R$ 220,8 million (mean of R$ 201,700/day). CONCLUSÃO: The findings strengthen the need for preventive healthcare for the older population living in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais and alert managers to the substantial socioeconomic impact of hospitalizations.

INTRODUÇÃO: O crescente aumento da população idosa faz aumentar proporcionalmente a demanda por cuidados hospitalares devido ao aumento dos problemas de saúde. OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência e incidência de hospitalizações, e investigar fatores associados, em idosos da Zona da Mata Mineira, Brasil, entre 2016-2018. Secundariamente, com intuito de fornecer um panorama epidemiológico mais abrangente acerca das hospitalizações, foram estimadas: taxa mensal de hospitalização; taxa de mortalidade hospitalar; frequência de hospitalizações conforme o diagnóstico, internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária (ICSAP) e óbito hospitalar; e custos hospitalares. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um estudo ecológico e descritivo-analítico. Os dados foram obtidos do Sistema de Informação Hospitalar brasileiro (SIH/SUS). RESULTADOS: A prevalência de hospitalizações em idosos foi de 35,1% (31,2% em mulheres e 39,7% em homens). A taxa mensal de hospitalização foi maior em homens idosos quando comparados com mulheres idosas (Razão-de-Taxas=1,35 [IC 95%=1,27-1,43]) e homens adultos entre 40­59 anos (Razão-de-Taxas=2,42 [IC 95%=2,26-2,58]). A incidência acumulada de hospitalização foi de 144/1.000 idosos (125/1.000 mulheres e 169/1.000 homens). Os fatores significativamente associados com as hospitalizações foram: sexo masculino (RP=1,52 [IC 95%=1,11­2,08]), internação em leito cirúrgico (RP=1,93 [IC 95%=1,05­3,56]), ausência de óbito (RP=1,94 [IC 95%=1,03-3,65]) e permanência hospitalizado ≥15 dias (RP=0,71 [IC 95%=0,54-0,95]). O custo das hospitalizações foi de R$ 220,8 milhões (média de R$ 201,7 mil/dia). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados reforçam a necessidade de cuidados preventivos à saúde da população idosa da Zona da Mata Mineira e alertam gestores para o substancial impacto socioeconômico gerado pelas hospitalizações.

Understanding the role and impact of electronic health records in labor and delivery nursing practice: A scoping review protocol.

Background: Electronic health records have a significant impact on nursing practice, particularly in specializations such as labor and delivery, or acute care maternity nursing practice. Although primary studies on the use of electronic health records in labor and delivery have been done, no reviews on this topic exist. Moreover, the topic of labor and delivery nurses' organizing work in the electronic health record-enabled context has not been addressed. Objective: To (a) synthesize research on electronic health record use in labor and delivery nursing and (b) map how labor and delivery nursing organizing work is transformed by the electronic health record (as described in the reviewed studies). Methods: The scoping review will be guided by a modified methodology based on selected recommendations from the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. A comprehensive search will be conducted in the following databases: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, Academic Search Complete, Web of Science, Scopus and Dissertations and Theses Abstracts and Indexes. Included sources will be primary research, dissertations, or theses that address the use of electronic health records in labor and delivery nursing practice in countries with high levels of electronic health record adoption. Data extracted from included sources will be analyzed thematically. Further analysis will theorize labor and delivery nurses' organizing work in the context of electronic health record use by utilizing concepts from Davina Allen's Translational Mobilization Theory. Findings will be presented in tabular and descriptive formats. Conclusion: The findings of this review will help understand transformations of nursing practice in the electronic health record-enabled labor and delivery context and identify areas of future research. We will propose an extension of the Translational Mobilization Theory and theorize nurses' organizing work involving the use of the electronic health record.

ARTEMIS: An alarm threshold and policy mining system for the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Alarm fatigue is a major technology-induced hazard for patients and staff in intensive care units. Too many - mostly unnecessary - alarms cause desensitisation and lack of response in medical staff. Unsuitable alarm policies are one reason for alarm fatigue. But changing alarm policies is a delicate issue since it concerns patient safety. OBJECTIVE: We present ARTEMIS, a novel, computer-aided clinical decision support system for policy makers that can help to considerably improve alarm policies using data from hospital information systems. METHODS: Policy makers can use different policy components from ARTEMIS' internal library to assemble tailor-made alarm policies for their intensive care units. Alternatively, policy makers can provide even more highly customised policy components as Python functions using data the hospital information systems. This can even include machine learning models - for example for setting alarm thresholds. Finally, policy makers can evaluate their system of policies and compare the resulting alarm loads. RESULTS: ARTEMIS reports and compares numbers of alarms caused by different alarm policies for an easily adaptable target population. ARTEMIS can compare policies side-by-side and provides grid comparisons and heat maps for parameter optimisation. For example, we found that the utility of alarm delays varies based on target population. Furthermore, policy makers can introduce virtual parameters that are not in the original data by providing a formula to compute them. Virtual parameters help measuring and alarming on the right metric, even if the patient monitors do not directly measure this metric. CONCLUSION: ARTEMIS does not release the policy maker from assessing the policy from a medical standpoint. But as a knowledge discovery and clinical decision support system, it provides a strong quantitative foundation for medical decisions. At comparatively low cost of implementation, ARTEMIS can have a substantial impact on patients and staff alike - with organisational, economic, and clinical benefits for the implementing hospital.

Unscheduled Emergency Department Revisits Within 48 Hours of Discharge.

This study aimed to analyze early revisits (within 48 hours of discharge) in an Emergency Department. Among the 178,295 visits, 11,686 were revisits, resulting in a rate of 6.55% (95%CI 6.43-6.67). A total of 1,410 revisits required hospitalization, and 252 were due to preventable errors (17.87%). These errors were mainly related to an inadequate therapeutic plan at discharge (47.22%), an incomplete diagnostic process (29.37%), and misdiagnoses (13.10%). These findings represent a technology-enabled clinical audit tool. Electronic Healthcare Records have the potential to: provide quality metrics of hospital performance, help to keep revisit rates updated (assessment through a real-time dashboard), and improve clinical management (by transparency initiatives about errors, and a supportive learning environment regarding lessons learned).

Designing a comprehensive minimum dataset for patients with COVID-19 in Iranian hospital information systems.

BACKGROUND: The Minimum Data Set (MDS) plays a vital role in data exchange, collection and quality improvement. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need for a tailored MDS that aligns with the specific information needs of the Iranian community and integrates seamlessly into the country's Hospital Information Systems (HIS). OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to develop a comprehensive MDS for COVID-19 patients in Iran, with objectives to identify essential data elements and integrate the MDS into HIS, enhancing data exchange and supporting decision-making. METHOD: This study employed a comparative-descriptive approach to design COVID-19 patient data elements based on World Health Organisation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The Delphi technique involved 35 experts in two rounds for checklist refinement. The finalised MDS consisted of 9 main terms and 80 sub-terms, analysed using descriptive statistics and IBM SPSS software. RESULTS: Of 35 experts involved with the study, 69% were male and 31% female, and Health Information Management experts were the majority (34%). The refined MDS for COVID-19 in Iran comprises 50 data elements, while 30 elements were excluded. The MDS includes 8 main terms and 80 sub-terms, with unanimous approval for identity, underlying disease, and treatment sections. CONCLUSION: The customised MDS for COVID-19 patients in Iran addresses data collection challenges and supports effective disease prevention and management. By providing comprehensive and reliable information, the MDS enhances healthcare quality, facilitates timely access to medical records, and fosters integrated health services.

Validation study of obstetric hospitalization data held on the Brazilian National Health System Hospital Information System for maternal morbidity surveillance: Brazil, 2021-2022 / Estudio de validación de internaciones obstétricas en el Sistema de Información Hospitalaria del Sistema Único de Salud para vigilancia de la morbilidad materna: Brasil, 2021-2022 / Estudo de validação das internações obstétricas no Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do Sistema Único de Saúde para a vigilância da morbidade materna: Brasil, 2021-2022

ABSTRACT Objective To validate the Brazilian National Health System Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS) for maternal morbidity surveillance. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2021/2022, taking as its reference a national study on maternal morbidity (MMG) conducted in 50 public and 28 private hospitals; we compared SIH/SUS and MMG data for hospitalization frequency, reason and type of discharge and calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios for seven diagnoses and four procedures. Results Hospitalizations identified on SIH/SUS (32,212) corresponded to 95.1% of hospitalizations assessed by MMG (33,867), with lower recording on SIH/SUS (85.5%) for private hospitals [10,036 (SIH/SUS)]; 11,742 (MMG)]; compared to MMG, SIH/SUS had a lower proportion of hospitalizations due to "complications during pregnancy" (9.7% versus 16.5%) as well as under-recording of all diagnoses and procedures assessed, except "ectopic pregnancy". Conclusion Better recording of diagnoses and procedures on SIH/SUS is essential for its use in maternal morbidity surveillance.

RESUMEN Objetivo Validar el Sistema de Información Hospitalaria del Sistema Único de Salud (SIH/SUS) para vigilancia de la morbilidad materna. Métodos Estudio transversal, 2021/2022, utilizando como referencia datos de estudio nacional de morbilidad materna (MMG) realizado en 50 hospitales públicos y 28 privados; comparando: frecuencia, motivo y tipo de alta de internaciones en SIH/SUS y MMG y calculando sensibilidad, especificidad y razones de probabilidad positivos y negativos para siete diagnósticos y cuatro procedimientos. Resultados Las internaciones identificadas en SIH/SUS (32.212) correspondieron al 95,1% de internaciones evaluadas en MMG (33.867), observándose menor registro en SIH/SUS (85,5%) en hospitales privados [10.036 (SIH/SUS)]; 11.742 (MMG)]; comparado con MMG, SIH/SUS tuvo menor proporción de internaciones por "complicaciones durante el embarazo" (9,7% vs 16,5%), así como subregistro de todos los diagnósticos y procedimientos evaluados, excepto "embarazo ectópico". Conclusión Mejor registro de diagnósticos y procedimientos en SIH/SUS es fundamental para su uso en la vigilancia de la morbilidad materna.

RESUMO Objetivo Validar o Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do Sistema Único de Saúde (SIH/SUS) para vigilância da morbidade materna. Métodos Estudo transversal, de 2021-2022, utilizando-se como referência dados de estudo nacional sobre morbidade materna (MMG) realizado em 50 hospitais públicos e 28 privados; foram comparados frequência, motivo e tipo de saída das internações, segundo SIH/SUS e MMG, e calculadas sensibilidade, especificidade, razão de verossimilhança positiva e negativa para sete diagnósticos e quatro procedimentos. Resultados Internações identificadas no SIH/SUS (32.212) corresponderam a 95,1% das internações avaliadas no MMG (33.867), tendo-se observado menor registro no SIH/SUS (85,5%) em hospitais privados [10.036 (SIH/SUS); 11.742 (MMG)]; comparado ao MMG, o SIH/SUS apresentou menor proporção de internações por "intercorrências na gestação" (9,7% versus 16,5%), bem como sub-registro de todos os diagnósticos e procedimentos avaliados, exceto "gestação ectópica". Conclusão Melhor registro de diagnósticos e procedimentos no SIH/SUS é essencial para sua utilização na vigilância da morbidade materna.

Adverse drug reactions in hospitals: population estimates for Portugal and the ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM crosswalk.

BACKGROUND: Adverse drug reactions (ADR), both preventable and non-preventable, are frequent and pose a significant burden. This study aimed to produce up-to-date estimates for ADR rates in hospitals, in Portugal, from 2010 to 2018. In addition, it explores possible pitfalls when crosswalking between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM code sets for ADR identification. METHODS: The Portuguese Hospital Morbidity Database was used to identify hospital episodes (outpatient or inpatient) with at least one ICD code of ADR. Since the study period spanned from 2010 to 2018, both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes based on previously published studies were used to define episodes. This was an exploratory study, and descriptive statistics were used to provide ADR rates and summarise episode features for the full period (2010-2018) as well as for the ICD-9-CM (2010-2016) and ICD -10-CM (2017-2018) eras. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2018, ADR occurred in 162,985 hospital episodes, corresponding to 1.00% of the total number of episodes during the same period. Higher rates were seen in the oldest age groups. In the same period, the mean annual rate of episodes related to ADR was 174.2/100,000 population. The episode rate (per 100,000 population) was generally higher in males, except in young adults (aged '15-20', '25-30' and '30-35' years), although the overall frequency of ADR in hospital episodes was higher in females. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the ICD-10-CM transition, administrative health data in Portugal remain a feasible source for producing up-to-date estimates on ADR in hospitals. There is a need for future research to identify target recipients for preventive interventions and improve medication safety practices in Portugal.

Implementing Clinical Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: Report and Lessons Learned From the MatLook Project in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Yaoundé Central Hospital (YCH), located in the capital of Cameroon, is one of the leading referral hospitals in Cameroon. The hospital has several departments, including the Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics (hereinafter referred to as "the Maternity"). This clinical department has faced numerous problems with clinical information management, including the lack of high-quality and reliable clinical information, lack of access to this information, and poor use of this information. OBJECTIVE: We aim to improve the management of clinical information generated at the Maternity at YCH and to describe the challenges, success factors, and lessons learned during its implementation and use. METHODS: Based on an open-source hospital information system (HIS), this intervention implemented a clinical information system (CIS) at the Maternity at YCH and was carried out using the HERMES model-the first part aimed to cover outpatient consultations, billing, and cash management of the Maternity. Geneva University Hospitals supported this project, and several outcomes were measured at the end. The following outcomes were assessed: project management, technical and organizational aspects, leadership, change management, user training, and system use. IMPLEMENTATION (RESULTS): The first part of the project was completed, and the CIS was deployed in the Maternity at YCH. The main technical activities were adapting the open-source HIS to manage outpatient consultations and develop integrated billing and cash management software. In addition to technical aspects, we implemented several other activities. They consisted of the implementation of appropriate project governance or management, improvement of the organizational processes at the Maternity, promotion of the local digital health leadership and performance of change management, and implementation of the training and support of users. Despite barriers encountered during the project, the 6-month evaluation showed that the CIS was effectively used during the first 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the HIS or CIS is feasible in a resource-limited setting such as Cameroon. The CIS was implemented based on good practices at the Maternity at YCH. This project had successes but also many challenges. Beyond project management and technical and financial aspects, the other main problems of implementing health information systems or HISs in Africa lie in digital health leadership, governance, and change management. This digital health leadership, governance, and change management should prioritize data as a tool for improving productivity and managing health institutions, and promote a data culture among health professionals to support a change in mindset and the acquisition of information management skills. Moreover, in countries with a highly centralized political system like ours, a high-level strategic and political anchor for such projects is often necessary to guarantee their success.

Implementing AI Models for Prognostic Predictions in High-Risk Burn Patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Burn injuries range from minor medical issues to severe, life-threatening conditions. The severity and location of the burn dictate its treatment; while minor burns might be treatable at home, severe burns necessitate medical intervention, sometimes in specialized burn centers with extended follow-up care. This study aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) to forecast potential adverse effects in burn patients. METHODS: This retrospective analysis considered burn patients admitted to Chi Mei Medical Center from 2010 to 2019. The study employed 14 features, comprising supplementary information like prior comorbidities and laboratory results, for building models for predicting graft surgery, a prolonged hospital stay, and overall adverse effects. Overall, 70% of the data set trained the AI models, with the remaining 30% reserved for testing. Three ML algorithms of random forest, LightGBM, and logistic regression were employed with evaluation metrics of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: In this research, out of 224 patients assessed, the random forest model yielded the highest AUC for predictions related to prolonged hospital stays (>14 days) at 81.1%, followed by the XGBoost (79.9%) and LightGBM (79.5%) models. Besides, the random forest model of the need for a skin graft showed the highest AUC (78.8%), while the random forest model and XGBoost model of the occurrence of adverse complications both demonstrated the highest AUC (87.2%) as well. Based on the best models with the highest AUC values, an AI prediction system is designed and integrated into hospital information systems to assist physicians in the decision-making process. CONCLUSIONS: AI techniques showcased exceptional capabilities for predicting a prolonged hospital stay, the need for a skin graft, and the occurrence of overall adverse complications for burn patients. The insights from our study fuel optimism for the inception of a novel predictive model that can seamlessly meld with hospital information systems, enhancing clinical decisions and bolstering physician-patient dialogues.

Calidad del registro de la historia clínica: autocrítica desde los médicos internistas

Objetivo: Describir la reflexión autocrítica que médicos especialistas en medicina interna hacen de la calidad del registro de la información en la historia clínica electrónica, en el Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe. Metodología: Estudio cualitativo que aplicó técnicas de la teoría fundamentada, con entrevistas semiestructuradas en profundidad a quince médicos internistas de un hospital de alta complejidad en Medellín, Colombia. El análisis partió de una conceptualización con codificación abierta y, luego, se hizo la agrupación de códigos en categorías descriptivas. Se identificaron propiedades y dimensiones que fueron relacionadas mediante la codificación axial con la matriz del paradigma de la teoría fundamentada, que permitió la emergencia de una categoría más abstracta. Resultados: Los entrevistados manifestaron que la historia clínica guarda información fundamental e invaluable, que contribuye al mejoramiento de la sa¬lud de los pacientes. Relacionaron la calidad del diligenciamiento de la historia clínica con un contexto regulatorio nacional, el cual tiene exigencias administrativas y financieras que ejercen presión de requerimientos externos a la clínica sobre su diligenciamiento. Se reconoce la influencia de la cultura digital y del inmediatismo, debilidades en la formación del diligenciamiento de la historia clínica tanto en pregrado y posgrado. Lo anterior distancia al médico del paciente, genera desmotivación en el ejercicio de su profesión y facilita cometer errores. Conclusiones: Existe una contradicción entre el "deber ser" del diligenciamiento con calidad de la historia clínica y lo que sucede en la práctica, pues su intencionalidad original de ser una herramienta al servicio de la asistencia clínica se desvirtúa, al privilegiar el haberse convertido en un instrumento que responde a otros factores externos del sistema de salud del país.

Objective: to describe the self-critical reflection that internal medicine specialists make on the quality of the information recorded in the electronic medical record in a high complexity hospital. Methodology: qualitative study that applied Grounded Theory techniques, with semi-structured in-depth interviews to fifteen internists of the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital in Colombia. The analysis was based on a conceptualization with open coding and then grouping of codes into descriptive categories. Properties and dimensions were identified and related through axial coding with the matrix of the Grounded Theory paradigm, which allowed the emergence of a more abstract category. Results: the interviewees informed the medical records keeps invaluable and fundamental information which contributes to the improvement of patient ́s health. They related the quality of medical records fill out with a national regulatory context, which has administrative and financial challenges that demands external pressure over the completion requirements in the medical assistance. The influence of digital culture and immediacy and insufficiencies skills in undergraduate and postgraduate medical training for a comprehensive fill out medical records, are recognized. The above distances the physician from the patient, generates demotivation in the practice of his profession and makes it easier to make mistakes. Conclusions: there is a contradiction between the "should be" of the quality of the medical records and what happens in practice, since its original intention of being a tool at the service of clinical care is distorted, as it has become a tool that responds to other external factors to the National health system.

Objetivo: Descrever a reflexão autocrítica que os médicos especialistas em medicina interna fazem sobre a qualidade da informação registrada no prontuário eletrônico do Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe. Metodologia: Estudo qualitativo que aplicou técnicas de teoria fundamentada, com entrevistas semiestruturadas em profundidade com quinze internos de um hospital de alta complexidade em Medellín, Colômbia. A análise partiu de uma conceituação com codificação aberta e, em seguida, foi feito o agrupamento dos códigos em categorias descritivas. Foram identificadas propriedades e dimensões que se relacionaram por meio da codificação axial com a matriz do paradigma da teoria fundamentada, o que permitiu o surgimento de uma categoria mais abstrata. Resultados: Os entrevistados relacionaram a qualidade do preenchimento da história clínica com um contexto regulatório que impõe exigências administrativas e financeiras que exercem pressão de exigências externas à clínica no seu preenchimento. Reconhece-se a influência da cultura digital e do imediatismo, as insuficiências na formação médica graduada e pós-graduada e as limitações dos médicos nas habilidades de comunicação. Isso distancia o médico do paciente, gera desmotivação no exercício de sua profissão e facilita erros. Conclusões: Existe uma contradição entre o "deveria ser" de preencher a anamnese com qualidade e o que ocorre na prática, pois sua intenção original de ser uma ferramenta a serviço do atendimento clínico é desvirtuada, ao privilegiar ter se tornado um instrumento que responde a outros fatores externos ao ato médico e às exigências administrativas do sistema de saúde.

Designing a minimum data set of laboratory data for the electronic summary sheet of pediatric ward in Iran: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aim: Iranian hospitals are provided with hospital information systems (HISs) from different vendors, which make it hardly possible to summarize laboratory data in an consistent manner. Therefore, there is a need to design a minimum data set of laboratory data that will define standard criteria and reduce potential medical errors. The purpose of this study was to design a minimum data set (MDS) of laboratory data for an electronic summary sheet to be used in the pediatric ward of Iranian hospitals. Methods: This study consists of three phases. In the first phase, out of 3997 medical records from the pediatric ward, 604 summary sheets were chosen as sample. The laboratory data of these sheets were examined and the recorded tests were categorized. In the second phase, based on the types of diagnosis we developed a list of tests. Then we asked the physicians of the ward to select which ones should be documented for each patient's diagnosis. In the third phase, the tests that were reported in 21%-80% of the records, and were verified by the same percentage of physicians, were evaluated by the experts' panel. Results: In the first phase, 10,224 laboratory data were extracted. Of these, 144 data elements reported in more than 80% of the records, and more than 80% of experts approved them to be included in the MDS for patients' summary sheet. After data elements were investigated in the experts' panel, 292 items were chosen for the final list of the data set. Conclusions: This MDS was designed such that, if implemented in hospital information systems, it could automatically enable registering data in the summary sheet when patient's diagnosis is registered.

Continuity of Patient Information to Palliative Care.

The purpose of this study was to describe the sharing of knowledge and information to palliative care in terms of information content, information structure and information quality by means of Advance Care Planning (ACP). This study used a descriptive qualitative study design. Purposively selected nurses, physicians and social workers working in palliative care in Finland took part in thematic interviews in five hospitals in three hospital districts in 2019. The data (n = 33) were analyzed by means of content analysis. The results demonstrate the evidence-based practices of ACP in terms of information content, structure and quality. The results of this study can be utilized in the development of sharing knowledge and information and as the basis in the development of an ACP instrument.

The Reasons for Physicians and Pharmacists' Acceptance of Clinical Support Systems in Saudi Arabia.

This research aims to identify the technological and non-technological factors influencing user acceptance of the CDSS in a group of healthcare facilities in Saudi Arabia. The study proposes an integrated model that indicates the factors to be considered when designing and evaluating CDSS. This model is developed by integrating factors from the "Fit between Individuals, Task, and Technology" (FITT) framework into the three domains of the human, organization, and technology-fit (HOT-fit) model. The resulting FITT-HOT-fit integrated model was tested using a quantitative approach to evaluate the currently implemented CDSS as a part of Hospital Information System BESTCare 2.0 in the Saudi Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. For data collection, a survey questionnaire was conducted at all Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs hospitals. Then, the collected survey data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This analysis included measurement instrument reliability, discriminant validity, convergent validity, and hypothesis testing. Moreover, a CDSS usage data sample was extracted from the data warehouse to be analyzed as an additional data source. The results of the hypotheses test show that usability, availability, and medical history accessibility are critical factors influencing user acceptance of CDSS. This study provides prudence about healthcare facilities and their higher management to adopt CDSS.

Utilidade do Sistema de Informação Hospitalar na vigilância da mortalidade materna no Brasil / Usefulness of the Hospital Information System for maternal mortality surveillance in Brazil

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a capacidade dos registros hospitalares (SIH) em adicionar informações úteis e complementares ao Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM) no entendimento da mortalidade materna. Calcular e comparar a Razão de Mortalidade Materna (RMM) hospitalar e a RMM do SIM dos óbitos maternos ocorridos em hospitais, por faixa etária e por região, para demonstrar diferenças entre os grupos e avaliar a cobertura de óbitos maternos do SIM em relação ao SIH. Métodos: As internações obstétricas foram definidas com base em três critérios (códigos da 10a Revisão da Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados à Saúde — CID-10 nos diagnósticos; procedimentos; cobrança de parto). As RMM hospitalar e do SIM foram calculadas dividindo-se os óbitos maternos ocorridos nos hospitais conveniados ao Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) pelos nascidos vivos (Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos Vivos — SINASC) desses estabelecimentos. Resultados: Em 2019, identificamos 2.497.957 registros de internações obstétricas, 0,04% (946) com óbito hospitalar. Os três critérios localizaram 98% das internações obstétricas e 83% das internações com óbitos, revelando inconsistências entre diagnósticos e procedimentos. A comparação entre a RMM do SIH (45,5, intervalo de confiança — IC95%, 42,7-48,5) e a do SIM (49,7, IC95%, 46,7-52,8) não foi estatisticamente significante (p-valor 0,053). Conclusão: A análise do SIH foi capaz de prover informações adicionais ao monitoramento e vigilância da saúde materna no Brasil. Embora haja diferenças entre as RMM, o SIH como sistema de informação complementar ao SIM pode ser válido nos estudos sobre mortalidade e morbidade materna.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the capability of hospital records in the Hospital Information System (SIH) to add valuable and complementary information to the Mortality Information System (SIM) in studies on maternal mortality. We calculated and compared the maternal mortality ratio from the SIH and SIM databases, by age group and region, to highlight differences between groups and assess the coverage of maternal deaths using SIH compared with SIM. Methods: Obstetric hospitalizations were defined based on three sources (codes ICD-10 in diagnoses; procedures; billing information). Hospital and SIM mortality ratios were calculated by dividing maternal deaths in hospitals affiliated to the Unified Brazilian Health System (SUS) per live births (SINASC) in the same hospitals. Results: In 2019, we identified 2,497,957 obstetric admissions, 0.04% (946) with in-hospital mortality as outcome. The presence of three criteria identified 98% of obstetric hospitalizations and 83% of obstetric hospitalizations with death as outcome. The comparison of mortality ratios between SIH (45.5 MMR; 95%CI 42.7 - 48.5) and SIM (49.7 MMR; 95%CI 46.7 - 52.8) was not statistically significant (p-value: 0.053). Conclusion: The analysis of SIH was able to provide additional information for the monitoring and surveillance of maternal health in Brazil. Although there are differences between the mortality rates, the SIH, as a complementary information system to the SIM, may be valid in studies on maternal mortality and morbidity.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: a study in tertiary dental care

Abstract The pandemic caused by coronavirus has resonated throughout different levels of health care in Brazil and, in this context, the present research aimed to evaluate this impact on tertiary dental care provided by the Unified Health System (SUS). Therefore, an ecological study was conducted with data obtained from the Hospital Information System processed by the Portal of the Department of Informatics of SUS. The sample consisted of patients of all sexes and age groups, whose Hospital Admission Authorizations (AIHs) were approved for dental tertiary care procedures from January 2015 to December 2020. Descriptive analyses and the ANOVA test with a significance level set at p < 0.05 were used. When the annual mean numbers of AIHs approved were evaluated, findings showed that on an average, the Southeast region authorized a higher number of procedures (p-value < 0.001), however, in the pandemic year (2020), a reduction of approximately 24.5% of these hospitalizations occurred throughout Brazil, with the Midwest being the region most affected (32.12%). A percentage increase occurred in the Surgical Treatment of Oral sinus/Oral nasal Fistula (16.1%), in addition to a significant decrease in performing procedures for Resection of Mouth Lesion (33.4%). In the pandemic year, there was a reduction of 14% in expenditures related to hospital services and 23.26% related to professional services. It was concluded that the data presented demonstrated a significant reduction in AIHs for tertiary dental care in the pandemic year.