Healthcare Data Registry | Overview and Resources

Mar 29, 2022

Healthcare data registries are a valuable tool for healthcare providers. They contain health information on large numbers of patients sharing common factors. This specifically includes a particular disease, condition, procedure, why they need care, treatment, and treatment outcomes over time. Whether you are a small private practice or a large hospital, there are great benefits to participating in registries. They can be a powerful instrument for improving overall delivery of care, practice improvement, and physician reimbursement.

This article further explores the role and importance of healthcare data registries – more specifically, how they’re helpful for value-based healthcare.

A Brief History of Healthcare Data Registries

Healthcare data registries are a relatively new practice. However, they are increasingly gaining popularity. Historically, healthcare data was collected on paper. This growing pile of paperwork became a logistical problem. Not to mention, aggregating the data into a system like Excel for analysis was time-consuming and an expensive use of clinic staff. As many practices and healthcare systems moved towards electronic health records (EHRs), aggregating data has become much more efficient. Some registries came about as a way to monitor implants as a measure of patient safety. However, recent health policies and overall interest in data have expanded collection beyond implants to include more information to allow professionals to evaluate patient outcomes.

What Are the Benefits?

Healthcare data registries have the potential to improve our healthcare system. The information collected in healthcare data registries helps providers give the most effective course of treatment. From a patient’s perspective, registries help to enhance the care they receive. This leads to better outcomes and fewer resources wasted. It also allows providers to investigate real-time trends within the patient population. One example is whether a new course of treatment is effective compared to existing treatments.

Better Monitoring, Better Safety Measures

Healthcare data registries assist providers in selecting which treatments are most effective for patients suffering from similar conditions.

This enables providers to detect potential issues and treatments. The data ensures providers have real-time information on health trends within the patient population. As a result, they can provide better quality care.

Healthcare data registries also assist providers in determining the effectiveness of medical interventions. By having access to this health data, providers have more insight into how to provide the best care for a patient’s condition. They can also determine suitable treatments by using data from similar patients. This gives providers a more clear understanding of what is most effective. This results in a quicker recovery and likely at a lower cost to the patient and the health system.

Improved Practice Management

An efficient healthcare data registry improves practice management. This is possible because they’re directed to certain treatments considered effective for similar patients. These outcomes are analyzed over time across thousands of patients with the same disease or condition.

By doing so, less resources are wasted by avoiding certain treatments that will be unsuccessful. It also helps to avoid over-prescribing medications that will be ineffective as well. Providers can also gain access to aggregated insights. These enable physicians to select the best and most cost-effective patient care. Lastly, clinical registries can help providers stay informed about any medical equipment or medication recalls. They can also monitor the efficacy of specific implants.

Meeting CMS Reporting Requirements

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency that provides the US with healthcare programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. Hospitals or physicians that participate in Medicare incentive programs through CMS such as MIPS, APMs, BPCI, etc. receive financial reimbursements based on the value of care that is provided. Participating in a healthcare data registry allows hospitals and physicians to integrate with and meet CMS reporting requirements.

Who Maintains Healthcare Data Registries?

Healthcare data registries are usually maintained by third parties. The data collected is typically submitted to the healthcare registry via a physician or staff. However, providers may also opt for third parties to submit the data on their behalf if the technical specifications are known. This information is anonymized and sometimes encrypted to protect patient privacy and comply with relevant laws.

Are Healthcare Data Registries and EHRs the Same?

Though the two provide similarities, data registries and electronic health records (EHRs) are different.

EHRs provide an electronic paper trail for each patient. Their intent is to focus on individuals’ health information and care throughout a healthcare system. Data registries are an aggregate of healthcare data from an EHR. They are used as a comparison of a specific population’s health information.

Furthermore, EHRs are restricted to the practice or hospital network that uses them. If a secondary facility needs the information, the original one must transfer the EHR files. In contrast, a data registry is used by many providers across the country or, in some cases, even the world. Another critical difference is that patient data is anonymous in data registries.

Why Are Healthcare Data Registries Important?

Healthcare data registries play an important role in value-based healthcare. Under value-based healthcare, payers reimburse healthcare providers based on the patient’s overall outcome rather than for each service provided. Participating in data registries allows providers to access the best data on health conditions, diseases, devices, and problems via anonymized data. This information allows for the prescription of more effective treatments and reduces the costs and resources wasted on in effective treatments. Lastly, they can improve the quality and safety of care patients receive.

CODE Technology: Your Solution for Integrating with Orthopedic Data Registries

CODE Technology provides a full-service PRO program. We work with clients to establish goals and create patient-reported outcome reports with those goals in mind. After tailoring a system to fit your needs, we connect with patients directly ourselves. All of this takes place outside of your clinic so there is no disruption to your clinic flow.

Through this dedicated, customizable system, we’ve generated an 80% capture rate across all intervals. We can also easily integrate your data with some orthopedic registries. Contact us today to find out how we can work together for a healthier future through robust, informative patient-reported outcomes.