The recommendations were developed during a CDC meeting held in February. According to the report, improving E-coding data is important as this information is used to inform injury prevention programs on trends and patterns of injury that differ from state to state.
The report recommends four key areas for improving E-coding: 1) improve communication and collaboration among stakeholders on E-coded data needs and uses for injury prevention efforts in healthcare settings, at work, in schools and at home; 2) demonstrate a business case for high-quality E-coding in state morbidity data systems; 3) improve the collection of high-quality E-coded data in state hospital discharge and emergency department data systems; and 4) improve and promote the utility of high-quality E-coded data from state morbidity data systems in designing, developing and evaluating injury.
The CDC also outlines several action steps that hospitals, healthcare providers and state and federal agencies can take to improve E-coding. These include the following:
- Create a central repository to share information about E-coding;
- Facilitate associations between injury prevention/advocacy groups and health data organizations;
- Collaborate with agencies such as The Joint Commission, National Quality Forum and CMS;
- Assess the inclusion of E-coding in electronic medical record systems;
- Develop guidelines and training material to instruct healthcare providers in injury documentation in EMR;
- Establish guidelines and standards for E-coding data quality for state hospital discharge and ED data systems;
- Develop a user-friendly, Web-based query system for state hospital discharge and ED data; and
- Develop a tool kit on using E-codes to set priorities and to develop and evaluate injury prevention and trauma care programs at the state and community levels.
Read the CDC’s report Recommended Actions to Improve External-Cause-of-Injury Coding in State-Based Hospital Discharge and Emergency Department Data Systems (pdf).
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