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Table 3 Data extraction and quality assessment results

From: A systematic review of the cost of data collection for performance monitoring in hospitals

Study

Intervention and control

Objective and type of study

Setting, population, and perspective

Costs

Benefits

Results and conclusions

Holloway et al. [6]

Intervention: computerised electronic records systems, PAS-MAP

Compare differences in completeness, timeliness, operability, and cost

Setting: 214-bed general hospital was studied

Differences in costs of PAS-MAP and manual system including: data abstraction costs, subscriptions, and summary preparation time

Completeness

Costs: the manual system would cost $2,593 more per year than the PAS

Comparator: manual system, hand written records

Type of study: cost analysis

Three departments: general practice, medicine, and surgery

 

Timeliness

Manual system more complete, as timely, and more likely to prevent human error

  

Population: physicians, medical admin staff

 

Operability

 
  

Perspective: not stated

   

Klimt et al. [7]

Intervention: Dictaphone for transcribing records

Compare the costs and benefits of transcribing technology against the manual system

Setting: Emergency Department

Cost of average length of record, true transcriber cost (including salary cost, bonus), true productivity of transcriber. Equipment costs are reported

Completeness

Incremental cost of typing an emergency record is $1.03

Comparator: manual system

Type of study: cost minimisation analysis

Population: physicians and surgeons

 

Timeliness

Transcribed medical records more complete, less timely, and more accurate

  

Perspective: not stated

 

Operability

 
    

Accuracy of billings

 

Tierney et al. [8] USA (Indiana)

Intervention: computerised inpatient orders

To assess the effects on healthcare resource utilisation of a network of microcomputer workstations for writing all inpatient orders

Setting: inpatient internal medicine service hospital

Total costs which include: bed costs, test costs, drug costs, and other costs. Equipment and installation costs are reported

Total charges

Total costs with workstations: $594 less (10.5% lower bed costs, 12.4% lower tests costs, 15.1% lower drug costs)

Comparator: normal practice

Type of study: cost- consequence analysis

Population: inpatients, house officers, medical students, and faculty internists

 

Hospital length of stay

Hospital length of stay declined by 0.89 days

  

Perspective: not stated

 

Benefits speculated

 

Philp et al. [9] UK

Intervention: Information system for monitoring impact of acute hospital care on health status

Develop a patient information system which could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of multidisciplinary hospital care

Setting: Hospital

Staff time, printing, statistical analysis, computing equipment and system administration.

Nurse perspective:

Total annual cost per ward £6,455 to incorporate follow-up assessments

Comparator: normal practice

Type of study: cost analysis

Population: physicians, nurses, and junior physicians

 

Decision-making

Undecided if decision-making, teamwork, professional care, and performance was improved

  

Perspective: not stated

 

Teamwork

Benefits for patient care can only be inferred, not proven

    

Professional care

 
    

Performance

 

Willems et al. [10] Belgium

Intervention: follow-up programme that informs physicians of their compliance and outlines the financial consequences of using prophylactic antibiotics

Evaluate the follow-up programme

Setting: post-operative surgery and obstetrics care

Cost of antibiotic use

Benefits speculated

Total cost of antibiotic use reduced by 50%

Comparator: previous practice

Type of study: cost analysis

Population: physicians

  

An average loss of €92,353 pre-intervention became profit average of €27,269 post-intervention

  

Perspective: hospital

   

Barnes et al. [13] USA (Ohio)

Standardisation of coding

Compare volumes, length of stay, and billings volume before and after implementation intervention

Setting: Trauma Care and Surgery Department

Costs are not reported

Hospital length of stay

Increase of $270.46 (394%) on average SHC revenue per trauma service admission

Comparator: no standardisation

Type of study: not clear

Population: physicians

 

Completeness

More consistent and complete documentation of patient care.

  

Perspective: not stated

 

Accuracy of billings

 

Encinosa and Bae [11]

Intervention: Basic Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)

Assess whether EMRs prevent hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), death, readmissions, and high spending

Setting: inpatient and outpatient departments

Average cost of patient safety event

Probability of death and readmission

Excess spending on patient safety events declines by $4,849 or 16% due to basic EMRs

Comparator: no basic EMRs

Type of study: cost effectiveness analysis

Population: physicians and patients

IT capital and operation costs

 

EMRs had no impact on the probability of a patient safety event occurring

  

Perspective: not stated

  

EMRs reduce the probability of readmission once a patient safety event occurs

Encinosa and Bae et al. [12]

Intervention: quality indicator based on five core MU elements

Compare the costs and effects of using up to five elements within a quality indicator

Setting: inpatient departments

All hospital costs were included except physician and laboratory costs (no justification as to why these were left out and no table to describe what costs were included)

Averted adverse drug event

Estimated costs savings at $4,790 per averted adverse drug event

Comparator: use of 0 to 5 elements

Type of study: cost effectiveness analysis

Population: patients and physicians

  

Adoption of core MU elements can reduce ADEs, with cost savings that recoup 22% of IT costs

  

Perspective: not stated