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JAMIA 2004;11:351-357 doi:10.1197/jamia.M1498
  • Focus on VA QUERI Informatics
  • Research Paper

Use of Electronic Medical Record Data for Quality Improvement in Schizophrenia Treatment

  1. Richard R Owen,
  2. Carol R Thrush,
  3. Dale Cannon,
  4. Kevin L Sloan,
  5. Geoff Curran,
  6. Teresa Hudson,
  7. Mark Austen,
  8. Mona Ritchie
  1. Affiliations of the authors: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Health Services Research and Development Service, Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, North Little Rock, AR, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Health Services Research, Little Rock, AR (RRO, CRT, GC, TH, MA, MR); VA Salt Lake Health Care System, and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (DC); VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Seattle, WA (KLS)
  1. Correspondence and reprints: Richard R. Owen, MD, Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, VA Medical Center (152/NLR), 2200 Ft. Roots Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72114; e-mail: <owenrichardr{at}uams.edu>
  • Received 5 November 2003
  • Accepted 4 April 2004

Abstract

An understanding of the strengths and limitations of automated data is valuable when using administrative or clinical databases to monitor and improve the quality of health care. This study discusses the feasibility and validity of using data electronically extracted from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) computer database (VistA) to monitor guideline performance for inpatient and outpatient treatment of schizophrenia. The authors also discuss preliminary results and their experience in applying these methods to monitor antipsychotic prescribing using the South Central VA Healthcare Network (SCVAHCN) Data Warehouse as a tool for quality improvement.

Footnotes

  • Supported by grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs HSR&D Service (Mental Health QUERI Coordinating Center, MNY 99-243, and MNT 01-033), and with funding from the VA South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center.

    The authors thank Lisa Geisselbrecht, Paula Stock, Sandra Pineros, Anthony Diblasi, Keith Williams, Marty Curtis, Betsy Lancaster, and other members of the South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16) Information Technology Group for their assistance with this work.

    The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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