Medical value sets* help healthcare organizations to identify patient populations that share certain characteristics or conditions. It’s a fairly simple concept that can have wide-ranging implications, informing everything from clinical decision support to population health initiatives. However, this straightforward concept can be challenging to bring to life with the accuracy they require. So, why is this the case?
Code sets aren’t enough
Using code sets like ICD-10-CM and SNOMED-CT® constrain organizations and can lead to significant errors in value sets. Standardized codes simply lack the specificity value sets need.
Clinical expertise is key
In order to get them right, value set creation requires clinical input including in depth knowledge of clinical terminology and insight into not only what should be included, but also what must be excluded to capture the right cohort.
Value set maintenance isn’t optional
Organizations may invest (a lot) in medical value set development, but as new codes are released and use cases change, they lose their efficacy. Meticulous maintenance is essential, but often elusive and time-consuming.
In our latest white paper, Steven H. Rube, MD, discusses these value set pitfalls along with new HIMSS research on the topic, conducted in partnership with IMO. To learn more, download the paper below.
*Epic users may know these as groupers
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