{"id":2538,"date":"2017-06-07T08:55:06","date_gmt":"2017-06-07T15:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/industry\/blog\/uncategorized\/physician-perspective-reducing-hacs-with-data-science\/"},"modified":"2023-05-31T16:24:28","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T23:24:28","slug":"physician-perspective-reducing-hacs-with-data-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/industry\/blog\/healthcare\/2017\/06\/07\/physician-perspective-reducing-hacs-with-data-science\/","title":{"rendered":"A physician’s perspective: Reducing HACs with data science"},"content":{"rendered":"
This blog is part of a two-part series featuring guest authors who are on the front lines of healthcare. Today\u2019s post features Tom Louwers<\/a>, MD, MPH, Associate Medical Director, Healthcare Insights at KenSci<\/a>. Dr. Louwers sat down with us to explain how KenSci<\/a> is preventing death and disability from hospital-acquired conditions with data science.\u00a0Learn more about how KenSci Clinical Analytics is revolutionizing the health care industry on Microsoft AppSource<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) are a troublesome reality of the healthcare system, and include maladies like sepsis, adverse drug events, surgical site infections, clinical errors, and more1<\/sup>. Medical errors alone kill 251,000 Americans every year, making them the third leading cause of death in the U.S.2<\/sup> At any given moment, 7% of hospitalized patients in developed countries \u2013 and 10% in developing nations \u2013 are acquiring at least one healthcare associated infection3<\/sup>. The good news is that hospitals are getting better: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found a 17% decline from 2010 to 2014 in HACs, resulting in 87,000 fewer patient deaths in hospitals and $20 billion in care cost savings4<\/sup>. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go \u2013 only 2.3% of U.S. hospitals achieved a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services5<\/sup>, and 769 hospitals\u2019 Medicare payments in fiscal year 2017 were cut for having high rates of HACs6<\/sup>.<\/p>\n Care providers must first do no harm, and the struggle to stop HACs is led by data science. Leading organizations are using advanced analytics to minimize clinical errors, intervene against HACs earlier at lower costs, and ultimately save lives. Let\u2019s take a look at how data is transforming the patient\u2019s journey through the healthcare system \u2013 drastically reducing the risk of HACs.<\/p>\n Physicians often have too much data and too little time. Let\u2019s take Larry, a 65-year-old patient in need of a new hip. Before he comes in to the hospital for his hip replacement surgery, the risk of sepsis may be one of the last things on his doctor\u2019s mind. But sepsis, a condition that occurs when the body\u2019s attempts to fight an infection are overwhelmed, is the number one killer of hospital patients \u2013 occurring in over 1 million patients in the U.S. every year and causing more readmissions at higher costs than pneumonia, heart failure, or heart attack7<\/sup>. Larry\u2019s age, his hypertension, the fact that he smokes, his history of hospital admissions for pneumonia and the flu all may signal a weakened immune system and a higher risk of sepsis. Healthcare providers normally only have the time and tools to evaluate a limited number of Larry\u2019s risk factors \u2013 but data science changes the game.<\/p>\n Aggregating individual patient data sets from Larry\u2019s EHR (Electronic Health Record), ADT (Admission, Discharge, and Transfer) logs, and wearable sensor with pre-built data analytics models that mine millions of records, Larry\u2019s care provider determines that he is at a high risk of sepsis. Larry\u2019s care team sees his predicted risk level and his modifiable and unmodifiable risks, and acts on those insights to reduce the likelihood Larry will acquire sepsis. Before Larry comes in for his hip surgery, his care team contacts him to ensure he\u2019s taking his current hypertension medications and following his prescribed pre-surgery regime.<\/p>\n Too often, HACs are the result of simple clinical errors. Luckily for Larry, his care provider leverages data to prevent even basic mistakes. Algorithms comparing Larry\u2019s facility and care team to other providers indicated that they faced a higher rate of infection and suggested poor hand-washing compliance may be the cause. Acting on those insights, Larry\u2019s hospital instituted a new, more rigorous hand-washing and clinical hygiene regime, significantly lowering infection rates. Before and after Larry\u2019s surgery, his whole care team follows a meticulous sanitization routine.<\/p>\n Larry is wheeled out of the operating room after a successful hip replacement surgery, but his care team\u2019s work is far from over. Post-surgery, a patient\u2019s vital signs are eerily similar to those of a patient with sepsis, as the patient\u2019s body reacts to the trauma of the operation. Advanced analytics surface something incredibly subtle that even an expert care team might miss \u2013 Larry\u2019s respiratory rate is remaining relatively elevated. Though Larry\u2019s vitals look like they are in the normal range for a 65-year-old male like him, a historical analysis of Larry\u2019s baseline vitals reveal a lower-than-average respiratory rate. As his respiratory rate and temperature start to increase at a near-indiscernible rate, predictive models provide concrete clinical decision support to Larry\u2019s care team \u2013 suggesting antibiotics to stop the subtle onset of sepsis. With data science and predictive analytics, Larry\u2019s care team is empowered to distinguish even the most minute vital sign changes over time and benefit from actionable insights \u2013 ultimately enhancing his care and preventing progression to a more severe condition.<\/p>\n Once Larry\u2019s condition has stabilized, his care team prepares him for discharge, leveraging data models to predict readmission risks, offer an optimal discharge plan, and determine the best post-hospitalization care facility. Balancing Larry\u2019s risks from being released too soon and staying in the hospital too long, advanced analytics help maximize Larry\u2019s care while minimizing costs, HACs, and the likelihood of readmission.<\/p>\n KenSci\u2019s Clinical Analytics solution, built on Microsoft Cloud Technology, improves health outcomes and reduces the total cost impact of HACs like sepsis. The solution identifies patterns and predicts patients who are at high risk of sepsis and other HACs, enabling care managers to engage high-risk patients and modify their risks to prevent infection, readmission and mortality. Plus, it integrates easily with existing EMR systems \u2013 so care managers and care providers aren\u2019t slowed down by having to learn and use a separate interface. Try the solution today on Microsoft AppSource<\/a>.<\/p>\n ________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Associate Medical Director of Healthcare Insights at KenSci explains how to prevent death and disability from hospital-acquired conditions with data science.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":576,"featured_media":10426,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1507,4258],"post_tag":[],"content-type":[1483],"coauthors":[2577],"class_list":["post-2538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare","category-providers","content-type-thought-leadership","review-flag-1593580429-205","review-flag-1593580772-268","review-flag-1-1593580433-637","review-flag-2-1593580438-395","review-flag-3-1593580443-547","review-flag-4-1593580449-167","review-flag-5-1593580454-255","review-flag-6-1593580459-232","review-flag-7-1593580464-771","review-flag-new-1593580249-279"],"yoast_head":"\nGain a deeper understanding of patient health and risks<\/h2>\n
Minimize errors and enhance care<\/h2>\n
Clinical Analytics dramatically reduce hospital-acquired conditions<\/h2>\n
\n1<\/sup>http:\/\/www.beckershospitalreview.com\/hospital-management-administration\/50-things-to-know-about-the-hospital-industry-2017.html<\/a>
\n2<\/sup>https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/bmjpodcasts\/medical-errorthe-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-the-us<\/a>
\n3<\/sup>http:\/\/www.who.int\/gpsc\/country_work\/gpsc_ccisc_fact_sheet_en.pdf<\/a>
\n4<\/sup>http:\/\/www.beckershospitalreview.com\/hospital-management-administration\/50-things-to-know-about-the-hospital-industry-2017.html<\/a>
\n5<\/sup>http:\/\/www.beckershospitalreview.com\/hospital-management-administration\/50-things-to-know-about-the-hospital-industry-2017.html<\/a>
\n6<\/sup>http:\/\/www.beckershospitalreview.com\/quality\/769-hospitals-see-medicare-payments-cut-over-high-hac-rates-7-things-to-know.html<\/a>
\n7<\/sup>http:\/\/www.infectioncontroltoday.com\/news\/2017\/01\/sepsis-trumps-four-medical-conditions-tracked-by-cms-for-hospital-readmission-rates.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"