Measuring quality of care for rheumatic diseases using an electronic medical record.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The objective of this study was twofold: (1) to determine how best to measure adherence with time-dependent quality indicators (QIs) related to laboratory monitoring, and (2) to assess the accuracy and efficiency of gathering QI adherence information from an electronic medical record (EMR).

Methods

A random sample of 100 patients were selected who had at least three visits with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at Brigham and Women's Hospital Arthritis Center in 2005. Using the EMR, it was determined whether patients had been prescribed a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) (QI #1) and if patients starting therapy received appropriate baseline laboratory testing (QI #2). For patients consistently prescribed a DMARD, adherence with follow-up testi

SUBMITTER: Agnew-Blais JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2924631 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature