TCPI MidSouth PTN Step-by-Step Guide to Completing a Chart Review
Your practice can use chart reviews to estimate performace on certain metrics. This approach is useful if your practice does not have other ways of getting performance data. This guide will walk you through the process of chart review.
Step 1. Choose a metric from the list below.
Step 2. See the recommended number of charts to review for that metric.
The number of charts to review varies depending on the expected level of performace, and how precise an estimate you are trying to obtain. The more charts you review, the better you will be able to estimate the practice's performance on the metric. However, the number of charts should also be reasonable.
All Cause Readmission Rate All Cause Unplanned Admit for Pts with DM All Cause Unplanned Admit for Pts with HF Reduction in <2 day Hospital LOS Reduction in ED Visits
We recommend the following number of charts for each metric. 100 100 100 100 100 50 100 100 100
100
50 50
100 100 100
50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50
Step 3. Identify a sample of charts to review.
The patient charts should fit the inclusion and exclusions criteria of the chosen metric.
Find the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the metric in the worksheet or TCPI metric guidelines. This will allow you to pull the appropriate records based on age, gender, condition, and completed visits from your billing system or EMR.
Select the time period for your sample. Go back at least 3 months from the date your practice enrolled in the PTN. For example, if the practice enrolled on 8/1/16, then select records from 5/1/16 to 7/31/16. If there aren't enough eligible charts during that period, then go back farther, up to 1 year prior to PTN enrollment.
Step 4. Conduct the Sample Chart Review
Conduct chart reviews for the metric using the worksheet provided for the metric by clicking on the metric name in the above list and downloading the chart review worksheet for that metric.
Step 5. Review results
Determine if the results of the chart review (located in Step 5 of the chart review worksheet) will allow for improvement of the metric.
If your practice is already a high performer, your practice may want to select another metric with room for improvement.
If results show room for improvement, then you have just established a baseline for your QI efforts!