Method and apparatus for objectively monitoring and assessing the performance of health-care providers based on the severity of sickness episodes treated by the providers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for objectively monitoring the performance of a group of health-care providers, comprising:
- (A) a database storage means for storing in-patient payment claim records representative of in-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers and out-patient payment claim records representative of out-patient health-care services performed for said patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers;
(B) episode building means, coupled to said database storage means, for building a plurality of sickness episode data records from said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records;
(C) severity adjustment means, coupled to said episode building means, for performing an objective severity adjustment analysis on said plurality of sickness episode data records to form a plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; and
(D) a computer workstation, coupled to said database storage means, said computer workstation including;
(i) cost-efficiency performance assessment means, responsive to said plurality of severity adjusted sickness episode data records, for objectively determining a cost-efficiency performance level for each individual health-care provider within said group of health-care providers;
(ii) qualitative-performance assessment means, responsive to said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records, for objectively measuring a qualitative performance level of said group of health-care providers as a whole; and
(iii) budget monitoring means for determining a total illness cost value representing costs incurred by said group of health-care providers as a whole for treating a selected condition and comparing said total illness cost value to a predetermined budgeted illness cost value associated with said selected condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for objectively monitoring the performance of a group of health-care providers. In-patient payment claim records representative of in-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within the group of health-care providers and out-patient payment claim records representative of out-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within group of health-care providers are stored in databases. A plurality of sickness episode data records are built from the in-patient payment claim records and the out-patient payment claim records, and an objective severity adjustment analysis is performed on the sickness episode data records to form a plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records. A cost-efficiency performance level is determined for each individual health-care provider within the group of health-care providers from the plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records, and a qualitative performance level is determined for the group of health-care providers as a whole.
149 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for objectively monitoring the performance of a group of health-care providers, comprising:
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(A) a database storage means for storing in-patient payment claim records representative of in-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers and out-patient payment claim records representative of out-patient health-care services performed for said patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers; (B) episode building means, coupled to said database storage means, for building a plurality of sickness episode data records from said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records; (C) severity adjustment means, coupled to said episode building means, for performing an objective severity adjustment analysis on said plurality of sickness episode data records to form a plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; and (D) a computer workstation, coupled to said database storage means, said computer workstation including; (i) cost-efficiency performance assessment means, responsive to said plurality of severity adjusted sickness episode data records, for objectively determining a cost-efficiency performance level for each individual health-care provider within said group of health-care providers; (ii) qualitative-performance assessment means, responsive to said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records, for objectively measuring a qualitative performance level of said group of health-care providers as a whole; and (iii) budget monitoring means for determining a total illness cost value representing costs incurred by said group of health-care providers as a whole for treating a selected condition and comparing said total illness cost value to a predetermined budgeted illness cost value associated with said selected condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method for objectively monitoring the performance of a group of health-care providers, comprising the steps of:
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(A) storing in a database storage means in-patient payment claim records representative of in-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers and out-patient payment claim records representative of out-patient health-care services performed for said patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers; (B) building a plurality of sickness episode data records from said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records; (C) performing an objective severity adjustment analysis on said plurality of sickness episode data records to form a plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; (D) objectively determining a cost-efficiency performance level for each individual health-care provider within said group of health-care providers from said plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; (E) objectively measuring a qualitative performance level of said group of health-care providers as a whole; and (F) determining a total illness cost value representing costs incurred by said group of health-care providers as a whole for treating a selected condition and comparing said total illness cost value to a predetermined budgeted illness cost value associated with said selected condition. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for objectively monitoring the performance of a group of health-care providers, comprising:
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(A) a database storage means for storing in-patient payment claim records representative of in-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers and out-patient payment claim records representative of out-patient health-care services performed for said patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers; (B) episode building means, coupled to said database storage means, for building a plurality of sickness episode data records from said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records; (C) severity adjustment means, coupled to said episode building means, for performing an objective severity adjustment analysis on said plurality of sickness episode data records to form a plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; and (D) a computer workstation, coupled to said database storage means, said computer workstation including; (i) cost-efficiency performance assessment means, responsive to said plurality of severity adjusted sickness episode data records, for objectively determining a cost-efficiency performance level for each individual health-care provider within said group of health-care providers; (ii) qualitative-performance assessment means, responsive to said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records, for objectively measuring a qualitative performance level of said group of health-care providers as a whole based on preventive-care services associated with a selected condition; and (iii) budget monitoring means for determining a total illness cost value representing costs incurred by said group of health-care providers as a whole for treating a selected condition and comparing said total illness cost value to a predetermined budgeted illness cost value associated with a selected condition. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-implemented method for objectively monitoring the performance of a group of health-care providers, comprising the steps of:
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(A) storing in a database storage means in-patient payment claim records representative of in-patient health-care services performed for patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers and out-patient payment claim records representative of out-patient health-care services performed for said patients by health-care providers within said group of health-care providers; (B) building a plurality of sickness episode data records from said in-patient payment claim records and said out-patient payment claim records; (C) performing an objective severity adjustment analysis on said plurality of sickness episode data records to form a plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; (D) objectively determining a cost-efficiency performance level for each individual health-care provider within said group of health-care providers from said plurality of severity-adjusted sickness episode data records; (E) objectively measuring a qualitative performance level of said group of health-care providers as a whole based on preventive-care services associated with a selected condition; and (F) determining a total illness cost value representing costs incurred by said group of health-care providers as a whole for treating a selected condition and comparing said total illness cost value to a predetermined budgeted illness cost value associated with said selected condition. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification