Clinical Parameters and Outcome of Patients with Uncertain Pre-operative Diagnosis (n = 16).

<p>Clinical Parameters and Outcome of Patients with Uncertain Pre-operative Diagnosis (n = 16).</p

Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Preoperative Diagnosis with Patient Outcome (n = 182).

<p>Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Preoperative Diagnosis with Patient Outcome (n = 182).</p

Analysis of pre-operative variables (n = 228).

<p>Summation may not equal sample size because tests not ordered.</p><p>CI = confidence interval</p><p>Analysis of pre-operative variables (n = 228).</p

Patient characteristics.

<p>Patient characteristics.</p

Analysis of orthopaedic surgeon preoperative diagnosis when wound drainage is absent (n = 191).

<p>Analysis of orthopaedic surgeon preoperative diagnosis when wound drainage is absent (n = 191).</p

Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Diagnostic Determinations (n = 212).

<p>*Diagnostic accuracy based on assumption that orthopaedic surgeons would rely exclusively on these post-operative parameters.</p><p>Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Diagnostic Determinations (n = 212).</p

Identifying Homelessness among Veterans Using VA Administrative Data: Opportunities to Expand Detection Criteria

<div><p>Researchers at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have used administrative criteria to identify homelessness among U.S. Veterans. Our objective was to explore the use of these codes in VA health care facilities. We examined VA health records (2002-2012) of Veterans recently separated from the military and identified as homeless using VA conventional identification criteria (ICD-9-CM code V60.0, VA specific codes for homeless services), plus closely allied V60 codes indicating housing instability. Logistic regression analyses examined differences between Veterans who received these codes. Health care services and co-morbidities were analyzed in the 90 days post-identification of homelessness. VA conventional criteria identified 21,021 homeless Veterans from Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn (rate 2.5%). Adding allied V60 codes increased that to 31,260 (rate 3.3%). While certain demographic differences were noted, Veterans identified as homeless using conventional or allied codes were similar with regards to utilization of homeless, mental health, and substance abuse services, as well as co-morbidities. Differences were noted in the pattern of usage of homelessness-related diagnostic codes in VA facilities nation-wide. Creating an official VA case definition for homelessness, which would include additional ICD-9-CM and other administrative codes for VA homeless services, would likely allow improved identification of homeless and at-risk Veterans. This also presents an opportunity for encouraging uniformity in applying these codes in VA facilities nationwide as well as in other large health care organizations.</p></div

Comparison of V60 series ICD-9-CM codes and Z59 series ICD-10-codes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

<p>From <a href="http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/staticpages/icd-9-code-lookup.aspx?KeyWord=v60&bc=AAAAAAAAAAAQAA%3d%3d&" target="_blank">http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/staticpages/icd-9-code-lookup.aspx?KeyWord=v60&bc=AAAAAAAAAAAQAA%3d%3d&</a>; Accessed November 1, 2014</p

Results of logistic regression analyses of first administrative indicator of homelessness classification.

<p>* p < 0.05.</p><p>** p < 0.01</p><p>*** p < 0.00</p><p>Note. OR = odds ratio, CI = confidence interval.</p

Characteristics of Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) according to “first indicator of homelessness” group during fiscal years 2001–2012; N = 30,866.

<p>Note. All demographic variables differed significantly across 1^st homelessness classification groups following chi-square tests, all p < .0001.</p