News Releases

Updated Volume Statistics Report Released

The Northeast Ohio Volume Statistics Report released on Dec. 5, which reflects October 2016 data, included changes to modernize the report and ensure it meets the high data standards users have come to expect. The process to make these updates began nearly a year ago with the Volume Statistics Advisory Committee, a group composed of representatives from each member hospital, who came together to make recommendations on how to enhance the program. Once the committee came to a consensus on each potential update, new user agreements were signed by all member hospitals. Finally, Volume Statistics Data Coordinators from each hospital had to set up new data collection processes to ensure all of the newly requested data could be provided on a monthly basis.

“We started this project because we always want to make sure we’re providing our members with data they find valuable,” explained George Jeney, project manager, The Center for Health Affairs. “In my day-to-day work, I get a lot of feedback and a lot of questions about the Volume Statistics report, which is great because it helps me understand what the members are paying attention to and it helps me know where to start the conversation with the [Volume Statistics] Advisory Committee.”

Recommendations from the Volume Statistics Advisory Committee focused primarily on three areas: clarifying definitions, adding indicators and expanding the type of information available for review. Some of the most notable changes for 2016 include:

• Adding a new metric to count discharge days in addition to the previously named total patient days (renamed census days).
• Adding a metric for acute case mix index.
• Eliminating the collection of recommended discharge location data.
• Updating language to better define newborns, surgical cases and emergency department visits.
• Incorporating facility-level reporting capability for off-campus emergency departments.

Member hospital data coordinators and staff from The Center have worked hard to make the necessary adjustments to produce the new Volume Statistics Report; however, an extended timeline was offered to data coordinators for backfilling the historical data. As a result, trend data on the new indicators is not yet available and readers will notice these columns blanked out in the current report. Trend data should be included starting with the November data set.

For more information on updates to the Volume Statistics Report, contact George Jeney at 216.255.3666 or via email.