Turning Data Into Information: Opportunities to Advance Rehabilitation Quality, Research, and Policy

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 99; no. 6; pp. 1226 - 1231
• Main Authors: Bettger, Janet Prvu, Nguyen, Vu Q.C., Thomas, J. George, Guerrier, Tami, Yang, Qing, Hirsch, Mark A., Pugh, Terrence, Harris, Gabrielle, Eller, Mary Ann, Pereira, Carol, Hamm, Deanna, Rinehardt, Eric A., Shall, Matthew, Niemeier, Janet P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2018
• Subjects: Communication; Diffusion of Innovation; Efficiency, Organizational; Electronic health records; Electronic Health Records - statistics & numerical data; Health policy; Health services research; Humans; Information Dissemination; Patient Safety; Patient-Centered Care - organization & administration; Policy; Quality of health care; Quality of Health Care - organization & administration; Quality of Health Care - standards; Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation Research - organization & administration; Safety Management - organization & administration; Time Factors; Health policy; Quality of health care; Rehabilitation; Electronic health records; EQUADR; PSO; EHR; Health services research
• ISSN: 0003-9993; 1532-821X; 1532-821X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.12.029

Attention to health care quality and safety has increased dramatically. The internal focus of an organization is not without influence from external policy and research findings. Compared with other specialties, efforts to align and advance rehabilitation research, practice, and policy using electronic health record data are in the early stages. This special communication defines quality, applies the dimensions of quality to rehabilitation, and illustrates the feasibility and utility of electronic health record data for research on rehabilitation care quality and outcomes. Using data generated at the point of care provides the greatest opportunity for improving the quality of health care, producing generalizable evidence to inform policy and practice, and ultimately benefiting the health of the populations served.