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VIReC Database and Methods Seminar

Phenotyping Physiologic Measurement of Lung Function in the VA EHR Using Automated Tools


by Kathleen Akgün, MD, MS
Seminar date: 7/9/2018

Description: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with poor quality of life, hospitalization and mortality. The clinical phenotype of COPD is diagnosed by the finding of significant airflow obstruction on pulmonary function tests using Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). FEV1 values are often difficult to identify in structured electronic health record (EHR) data. We developed and refined an automated tool to improve ascertainment of FEV1 in EHR in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) and determined associations between severity of COPD, using % predicted FEV1, and lung cancer in VACS patients. Objectives 1. Describe the challenges to extracting pulmonary function test (PFT) data from large electronic health record (EHR)-based data sources 2. Understand the benefits and limits of automatic tools that extract PFT values from the EHR 3. Name at least two potential implications of automated tools for extracting PFTs



DOWNLOAD: PDF handout | Audio only (mp3) | transcript


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