Evaluating the effectiveness of a clinical practice intervention in increasing obesity data recording at a Western Australian country health service hospital: A quasi-experimental controlled trial

Author Identifier

Kim McClean

ORCID : 0000-0001-5266-2004

Martyn Cross

ORCID : 0000-0002-9457-128X

Sue Reed

ORCID : 0000-0003-1384-5208

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare

Volume

14

First Page

2501

Last Page

2512

Publisher

Dove Press

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

37032

Comments

McClean, K., Cross, M., & Reed, S. (2021). Evaluating the effectiveness of a clinical practice intervention in increasing obesity data recording at a Western Australian country health service hospital: A quasi-experimental controlled trial. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14, 2501-2512. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S325903

Abstract

Purpose: Identification and mitigation of obesity-related risks to staff and healthcare organisations can occur using patient obesity data; however, a 2017/18 audit of obesity data accuracy was assessed to be poor. This study investigates the results of an intervention to improve obesity data recording and coding accuracy at an Australian hospital. Background: Increasing population obesity rates result in increased organisational and finan-cial risks to hospitals. Australian obesity prevalence has steadily increased since 1995, and 42% of the Australian population is predicted to be obese in 2035. To reduce risks to healthcare staff who care for obese patients, complete and accurate obesity recording is required. Methods: Following a previous audit of obesity recording and coding accuracy of patients admitted to hospital with Type II diabetes, a 12-month intervention was undertaken, comprising staff education, introduction of tape measures and obesity decision-making tools, recording of patient volunteered height, regular reinforcement of obesity recording requirements and enhanced clinical coding of obesity. A re-audit was subsequently conducted to determine if the intervention impacted obesity recording and coding at the previously audited site. Results: Improved recording of obesity-related measures and obesity data accuracy were observed, including increased patient BMI, impacted by increased patient height measurements and increased patient weight measurements. Obesity recording accuracy increased due to the intervention, including increased sensitivity, increased negative predictive values and reduced false negatives. Conclusion: The obesity recording intervention was successful; however, as hospitals increasingly use electronic health records, improvement opportunities should be considered such as compulsory recording of patient weight and height, embedded BMI calculators and “check boxes” for recording impacts of obesity conditions on treatment. Immediate improvement of obesity recording in manual patient files can be achieved in the meantime by implementing targets of 100% weight, height and BMI recording, introducing education programs and auditing compliance.

DOI

10.2147/JMDH.S325903

Access Rights

free_to_read

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