Everyday Innovations
Cardiac database allows tracking
Do you ever wonder if you’re going to get buried under an avalanche of data requirements from third-party payers and regulatory agencies? Regina Miele, RN, CCRN, clinical coordinator of the adult cardiac catheterization lab at New England Medical Center in Medfield, MA, says she knows that feeling.
To deal with these increasing requirements, Miele developed an extensive cardiac cath lab database system specifically to follow up with patients who have had coronary angiograms or interventional revascularization procedures such as stents. The database tracks the number of procedures performed and identifies various patient and procedure outcomes at 24 hours, 30 days, and six months after the procedure. Revascularization procedures get an additional outcome follow-up after one year to help predict the long-term course of coronary artery disease.
Miele says the database performs the following tasks:
Identifies the most effective plan of care for patients with certain disease characteristics and indications. The database tracks outcome indications to identify why a patient is having a catheterization and/or a revascularization as opposed to another procedure. Enables physicians to track outcomes for each of their patients to meet credentialing requirements and state regulations. Allows evaluation of cost effectiveness of clinical pathways for each patient category using 30-day outcomes. Provides data for developing quality report cards to meet institutional and regulatory quality goals and requirements. Provides a mechanism for communicating with patients immediately post-procedure to 30 days later to ensure that the quality of care meets patient and hospital standards.To read more about this database and other everyday innovations, visit the Best Practice Network’s Web site at www.best4health.org. The Best Practice Network, a new organization devoted to promoting information sharing in health care by nurses, physicians, and other health care professionals, offers creative solutions to problems large and small.
For more information, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or call (800) 899-2226. Contact Regina Miele at Adult Cardiac Cath Lab/ Proger 6, New England Medical Center, 750 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111.
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