title: The clinical management database.
abstract: The clinical management database utilizes ICU patient data in aggregate to examine quality of care and resource utilization at the population level. As clinicians become accountable for efficiency and quality, this type of database is essential to understand the results of care. This article reviews the challenges of evaluating cost and quality including the potential for bias and measurement error. A practical approach to starting a database is outlined with examples and suggestions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cowen
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Matchett
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D003422:Critical Care; D019992:Databases as Topic; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008331:Management Information Systems; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D015996:Survival Rate