Greg Webster

Identifying priorities in methodological research using ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 administrative data: report from an international consortium

BackgroundHealth administrative data are frequently used for health services and population health research. Comparative research using these data has been facilitated by the use of a standard system for coding diagnoses, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Research using the data must deal with data quality and validity limitations which arise because the data are not created for research purposes. This paper presents a list of high-priority methodological areas for researchers using health administrative data.MethodsA group of researchers and users of health administrative data from Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Australia, China and the United Kingdom came together in June 2005 in Banff, Canada to discuss and identify high-priority methodological research areas. The generation of ideas for research focussed not only on matters relating to the use of administrative data in health services and population health research, but also on the challenges created in transitioning from ICD-9 to ICD-10. After the brain-storming session, voting took place to rank-order the suggested projects. Participants were asked to rate the importance of each project from 1 (low priority) to 10 (high priority). Average ranks were computed to prioritise the projects.ResultsThirteen potential areas of research were identified, some of which represented preparatory work rather than research per se. The three most highly ranked priorities were the documentation of data fields in each countrys hospital administrative data (average score 8.4), the translation of patient safety indicators from ICD-9 to ICD-10 (average score 8.0), and the development and validation of algorithms to verify the logic and internal consistency of coding in hospital abstract data (average score 7.0).ConclusionThe group discussions resulted in a list of expert views on critical international priorities for future methodological research relating to health administrative data. The consortiums members welcome contacts from investigators involved in research using health administrative data, especially in cross-jurisdictional collaborative studies or in studies that illustrate the application of ICD-10.

The impact of polypharmacy on the health of Canadian seniors

BACKGROUND Prescription medication use increases with age. Seniors face an increased risk of adverse drug reactions from medications, partly because the kidneys and liver can lose functional ability with increasing age, resulting in the need for changes in dosage. OBJECTIVE To use population survey data to understand the extent and impact of multiple medication use and adverse drug events among Canadian seniors. METHODS This study consists of analysis of data from the Canadian Survey of Experiences with Primary Health Care, which was conducted through telephone by Statistics Canada in 2008. These analyses focussed on the 3132 respondents who were ≥ 65 years of age. RESULTS Twenty-seven per cent of seniors reported taking five or more medications on a regular basis. Within the past year, 12% of seniors taking five or more medications experienced a side effect that required medical attention compared with 5% of seniors taking only one or two medications. Even when controlling for age and number of chronic conditions, the number of prescription medications was associated with the rate of emergency department use. Less than half of all seniors reported having received medication reviews and having the possible side effects of their prescription medications explained to them by their physician. CONCLUSIONS Many Canadian seniors have an elevated risk of adverse events due to taking a high number of prescription medications and not having the potential side effects and drug interactions explained to them. There are interventions that can potentially reduce polypharmacy and adverse events, including routine medication reviews.

Outcomes of unilateral and bilateral total knee arthroplasty in 238,373 patients

Background and purpose — There is no consensus about the outcome of simultaneous vs. staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We examined this issue by analyzing 238,373 patients. Patients and methods — Demographic, clinical, and outcome data were evaluated for TKA patients (unilateral: 206,771; simultaneous bilateral: 6,349; staged bilateral: 25,253) from the Canadian Hospital Morbidity Database for fiscal years 2006–2007 to 2012–2013. Outcomes were adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, and hospital TKA volume. Results — Simultaneous bilateral TKA patients were younger than staged bilateral TKA patients (median 64 years vs. 66 years), were more likely to be male (41% vs. 39%), and had a lower frequency of having ≥1 comorbid condition (2.9% vs. 4.2%). They also had a higher frequency of blood transfusions (41% vs. 19%), a shorter median length of stay (6 days vs. 8 days), a higher frequency of transfer to a rehabilitation facility (46% vs. 9%), and a lower frequency of knee infection (0.5% vs. 0.9%) than staged bilateral TKA patients, but they had higher rate of cardiac complications within 90 days (2.0% vs. 1.7%). Simultaneous patients had higher in-hospital mortality compared to the second TKA in staged patients (0.16% vs. 0.06%), but they had similar rates of in-hospital mortality compared to unilateral patients (0.16% vs. 0.14%). The cumulative 3-year revision rate was highest in the unilateral group (2.3%), but it was similar in the staged and simultaneous bilateral groups (1.4%). Interpretation — We found important differences between the outcomes of simultaneous and staged bilateral TKA. Further clarification of outcomes would be best determined in an adequately powered randomized trial, which would remove the selection bias inherent in this retrospective study design.

Organ Donation and Transplantation in Canada: Insights from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register

Purpose of reviewTo provide an overview of the transplant component of the Canadian Organ Replacement Register (CORR).FindingsCORR is the national registry of organ failure in Canada. It has existed in some form since 1972 and currently houses data on patients with end-stage renal disease and solid organ transplants (kidney and/or non-kidney). The transplant component of CORR receives data on a voluntary basis from individual transplant centres and organ procurement organizations across the country. Coverage for transplant procedures is comprehensive and complete. Long-term outcomes are tracked based on follow-up reports from participating transplant centres. The longitudinal nature of CORR provides an opportunity to observe the trajectory of a patient’s journey with organ failure over their life span. Research studies conducted using CORR data inform both practitioners and health policy makers alike.ImplicationsThe importance of registry data in monitoring and improving care for Canadian transplant candidates/recipients cannot be over-stated. This paper provides an overview of the transplant data in CORR including its history, data considerations, recent findings, new initiatives, and future directions.ABRÉGÉBut de la revueOffrir un aperçu du volet « transplantation d’organes » du Registre canadien des insuffisances et des transplantations d’organes (RCITO).RésultatsLe RCITO est le Registre canadien des insuffisances d’organes au Canada. Il a commencé à prendre forme en 1972, et contient à l’heure actuelle des données sur des patients atteints de néphropathie terminale et sur des transplantations (rénales ou non rénales) d’organes pleins. Le volet « transplantation d’organes » du RCITO collige des données qui ont été envoyées, sur une base volontaire, par des centres de transplantation et des services d’approvisionnement en organes à travers le pays. Le Registre offre une couverture exhaustive et complète des différentes interventions de transplantation. Les résultats à long terme sont retracés à partir de rapports de rendez-vous de suivi des centres de transplantation participants. L’ampleur longitudinale du RCITO offre la possibilité d’observer le parcours, tout au long de sa vie, du patient atteint d’une insuffisance organique. Les études produites à partir des données du RCITO éclairent à la fois les praticiens et les décideurs du domaine de la santé.ImplicationsOn ne peut surestimer l’importance des données du Registre lorsqu’il s’agit d’effectuer le suivi des candidats canadiens potentiels à une transplantation, ou d’améliorer les soins qui leur sont offerts.Cette revue offre un aperçu des données du RCITO qui se rapportent à la transplantation d’organes, dont : l’historique, les éléments à considérer sur les données, des résultats récents, de nouvelles initiatives et les orientations futures.