title: Using VistA electronic medical record data extracts to calculate the waiting time for total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: This is a retrospective database study of veterans who had total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System. The objective of this study is to determine if VistA medical records data can be used to create a methodology for accurate assessment of waiting times for TKAs performed at Veterans Affairs facilities. The average waiting period from date of "initial consult" to date TKA was performed was greater than two years. The average waiting period from "most recent consult" to TKA was less than a year. This new approach and methodology has great impact as it provides an electronic method for calculating the TKA wait time which is broadly generalizable for similar analysis at the VISN (Veteran Integrated Services Network) or regional level.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Center for Medical Informatics, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
authors.forename: Tamseela
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nuzzo
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Erdos
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003237:Connecticut; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014850:Waiting Lists