Research at the DFWHC Foundation is an adventure. I guess you could say I’m a nerd, but the claims database offers exciting research possibilities. We have a regional master patient index (REMPI) that amazingly tracks patients across time, hospitals and payors. An ID number is assigned to patients allowing us to follow them at hospitals across North Texas without revealing their personal information. Quite simply, through their ID number, we can view people readmitted from one hospital to the next.

Readmission is a hot topic due to changes in Medicare and Medicaid laws. Readmissions taking place within 30 days for patients with congestive heart failure, heart attack or pneumonia will not be paid. Dallas-Fort Worth studies regarding readmissions are being conducted as we speak. These could assist hospitals in keeping people from being readmitted within the crucial 30-day time period.

It’s not just readmissions. We are working with emergency room (ER) statistics to provide insight into the characteristics of patients. Who pays for ER use? Who is admitted to the hospital from ER? What is the cost? These are just a few questions we hope to answer. Additional studies include how air quality affects ER patterns; the relationship of trauma patients to substance abuse; how behavioral health issues affect hospital usage; and how specific programs affect hospital admissions.

With our claims database, any information on a hospital claim is available. Our many data fields include length of stay, admissions, diagnosis, procedures, discharges, ethnicity, gender and primary payors. If you are interested in finding out more about our research database, contact us.

Pam Doughty
pdoughty@dfwhcfoundation.org