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Challenges
Timeliness
of Data
The Project attempts
to present the most recent information available. However, because the
profiles rely upon multiple data sources that collect data on different
cycles, this often means that data for different years are presented
within a single profile. For example, the health facilities depicted
on maps and identified in the Community Health Profiles represent a
real-time understanding of existing provider sites. Yet the capacity
and utilization data are drawn from the most recent reports available
from providers. In some instances, the number of providers that existed
at the time for which those data are available is greater or less than
the number that exists today.
Accuracy
of Data
The data presented
in the profiles are primarily a reflection of the information submitted
by hospitals, community health centers and other providers to the data
sources described above. Thus, if a provider did not report accurately
in response to a data request, this will be reflected in the individual
hospital or community health profile. Efforts are made to seek explanation
for dramatic changes in a provider’s data over time or for data
outliers. The providers are the original source of data presented in
the profiles.
Rounding
Errors
Calculations showing
the percent change between two years are based on underlying more accurate
data and not on values printed for each year which are rounded. So,
for example, the average length of stay when rounded might show the
same value, say 4.3, for both years, but since the percent change is
calculated on the underlying, more accurate values (say 4.25 and 4.34),
the percent change shown will not be 0.
Completeness
of Data
In some instances,
data submitted by individual providers were incomplete. Missing data
are presented in the profiles as Not Available or NA. Additionally,
for these preliminary profiles, data were not available for specific
classes of providers, including free clinics, hospital-affiliated health
centers, and private practice physicians. Efforts are underway to obtain
data from these sources. Site-specific staffing data are necessary to
calculate capacity for the Community Health Profiles. At this time these
data are not available to this project for hospital-based outpatient
clinics, hospital-affiliated health centers or school-based health centers.
Data
Sources | Profile Contents
| Identification of Facilities Included
in the Profiles |
Glossary of Terms/Definitions of Measures
| Challenges | Special
Notes
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