ATHN HTC Survey Results

Nearly 60 percent of HTCs responded to ATHN’s online survey of HTCs regarding data manager issues, of which 62 HTCs were Lab Tracker users. With survey results collated and analyzed, ATHN has presented survey findings at the annual meetings of 9 of the 12 regions.  

Based on the survey, HTCs can be grouped into four categories related to Lab Tracker usage level:

• Super Users – these are HTCs that use Lab Tracker as a medical record and for more than annual visits and capture core data plus infusions or non-coagulation medications.
• Core Users – these are HTCs that use Lab Tracker to capture core data (i.e., demographics, diagnoses, coagulation medications, surgeries, laboratory tests, contact information, insurance) and also use it for either medical record or more than annual visits.  
• Early Users – these are HTCs that use Lab Tracker to capture at least demographics and diagnoses. Most Early Users also collect some but not all of the core data elements listed above.
• Non-Users – these are HTCs that have not deployed Lab Tracker.

Staffing for data management varied by center; however on average, the staffing mix was similar across Super User, Core User and Early User categories.  The majority of data management for all categories was done by nurses, followed by administrative staff, and then dedicated data managers.  The average full-time staffing equivalents (FTEs) were derived for each group.   Without adjusting for the number of patients per HTC, the survey revealed that on average, Super Users dedicated slightly less than the equivalent of one full-time person to data management each month, while Core Users dedicated slightly more than a 25% equivalent.  Adjusting for the number of patients per HTC, the average number of hours per patient per month dedicated to data collection is the following:

• Super Users – .20 hours/patient /month  (12 minutes/patient/month)
• Core Users – .15 hours/patient/month  (9 minutes/patient/month)
• Early Users – .12 hours/patient/month  (7.2 minutes/patient/month)

Approximately thirty percent (30%) of respondents indicated that they had adequate staffing for data management; 26 percent reported somewhat adequate staffing and the balance reported inadequate or no staffing to collect data. The need for additional funding to support data collection was not limited to early users. Some centers won’t need data support at all.

A primary goal of ATHN is to have all HTCs functioning at the Core User level.  Enabling Early Users and Non-Users to routinely collect the core meaningful data set will be important to ensuring that, ultimately, all patients are protected with secure, safe and portable data, and that all centers can submit surveillance data electronically.  Super Users and Core Users serve as the basis for the selection of pilot sites for testing the emergency preparedness plan, named ATHNready.