Can we measure integration of healthcare from administrative and clinical records?
BACKGROUND
A major component of integrated care is shared information. Computer-based clinical and administrative systems, particularly in multidisciplinary environments, provide an opportunity to directly measure the degree of integration.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this article is to explore the viability of automated measurement of integration within a multidisciplinary healthcare centre.


METHODS
With the assistance of practice staff, researchers explored the structure and content of selected patient records in two practices to understand the viability of automated measurement.


RESULTS
Extracted patient records can be used to understand integration to the degree that communication is recorded, but at significant expense to the practices and researchers. Automated systems are practical to the degree that clinicians complete all relevant identifying fields.


CONCLUSIONS
Computerised clinical systems provide opportunities for exploring integration of care if they include a range of care providers and all relevant fields are always completed. The latter condition will always be difficult to achieve.
BSc(Hons), BA, MSc, PhD, is Senior Research Fellow, Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
Ian
I
McRae
Paresh
P
Dawda
Michelle
M
Banfield
Anne
A
Parkinson
D000068598:Data Accuracy; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data