Using Health Status Measures in the Hospital Setting: From Acute Care to 'Outcomes Management'

• Published in: Medical care Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. MS57 - MS73
• Main Authors: Lansky, David, Butler, J. B. V., Waller, Frederick T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States J. B. Lippincott-Raven Publishers 01-05-1992; Lippincott-Raven Publishers
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living - classification; Back Pain - therapy; Clinical Protocols - standards; Data collection; Databases, Factual; Empirical Papers; Follow-Up Studies; Health care administration; Health outcomes; Health status; Health Status Indicators; Hip Prosthesis - standards; Hip replacement arthroplasty; Hospitals; Hospitals, Community - organization & administration; Hospitals, Community - standards; Humans; Managed care; Medical practice; Oregon; Organizational Objectives; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) - organization & administration; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) - standards; Patient care; Physicians; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Treatment Outcome; Oregon
• ISSN: 0025-7079; 1537-1948
• DOI: 10.1097/00005650-199205001-00006

In recent years, employers, insurers, and government purchasers have paid increased attention to the measurement of patient outcomes and health status. Such interest is stimulated less by policy or quality concerns than by the need to reduce health care expenditures. Any expected benefits which might accrue from health status measurement will require active participation by community hospitals and their affiliated physicians. St. Vincent Hospital and Medical Center in Portland, Oregon has begun hospital-wide use of outcomes measurement systems. This study presents case studies of outcomes measurement for low back pain and total hip replacement, summarizes the hospital's objectives in implementing such measures, and identifies several strategies for successful adoption of health status measures in community practice.