Assessment task 3: Analysis of supplied patient data
Intent: This assessment item focuses on the development of data analysis and presentation skills in order to make recommendations that are congruent with contemporary literature.
Objective(s): This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):
A, B, D and E
This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):
1.2 and 4.2
Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%

Task: You have been engaged as a consultant to the Local Health District (LHD). The LHD governing
council requires you to develop a report based on data from ‘UTS Hospital’ (an Australian public hospital situated in New South Wales) to address issues related to AR-DRGs E69A/B/C ‘Bronchitis & Asthma (with or without comorbidities or complicating diagnoses; in AR-DRG v4.1, also split by age)’. The governing council is primarily interested in the analysis, and expects clear recommendations that apply to, and are implementable by, ‘UTS Hospital’.
• Locate the UTS Hospital data file from the Data Files folder in UTSOnline.
• Produce a written report no longer than 2500 words for the LHD council based on the supplied data (UTS Hospital data file) and the following topic.
• The report must contain brief background literature, a data analysis strategy, the analysis, and appropriate recommendations that integrate the findings and the background literature.
• Includes tables or figures as appropriate (for example, to profile the target group or to show comparisons).

Topic: Asthma & Bronchitis (AR-DRG E69A/B/C)
(Note: there is an issue with this categorisation but that is not in your purview; in-depth discussion of that issue is not necessary)

A: Background Literature
With reference to Australian and overseas literature, briefly:
1. Define these AR-DRGs, including the diagnoses usually associated with them
2.Describe the current prevalence & incidence of antenatal admissions to acute hospitals, and any relevant trends
3.Describe approaches used to prevent hospitalisation and decrease length of stay for asthma & bronchitis

B: Analysis
Analyse the UTS Hospital dataset as follows:
Create a profile of patients in AR-DRGs E69a, E69b & E69c
1.1 include both individual and episode characteristics (e.g. age [an individual characteristic]
and length of stay [an episode characteristic], and others you identify in the literature)
1.2 include the proportion of the dataset that these patients comprise
1.3 compare this to a profile of all patients in this dataset

For patients in AR-DRGs E69a, E69b & E69c:
2.1 identify the most common principal and secondary diagnoses
2.2 identify the most common principal and secondary procedures
2.3 compare the length of stay for patients in AR-DRGs E69a, E69b & E69c to patients in related AR-DRGs, and/or the same MDCs

C: Analysis
1.Based primarily on your analyses, but with reference to the literature:
Identify important points in your analyses that might suggest interventions to reduce the incidence of hospitalisation and length of stay in AR-DRGs E69a, E69b & E69c
2.Make specific recommendations to reduce the incidence of hospitalisation and length of stay for patients in AR-DRGs E69a, E69b & E69c

Notes
Report formats vary across disciplines. It is expected that students will use the following headings:

Introduction
Background (alternative heading: Literature)
Data Analysis Strategy (alternative heading: Method)
Results (alternative heading: Findings)
Discussion & Recommendations
Conclusion
References

Recommended process:

research the background of the issue in the peer reviewed and ‘grey’ literature
design and document a data analysis strategy conduct and document the analysis described in the data analysis strategy
make recommendations that integrate the background and the results

Other notes:
Appropriately reference all material, however you do not need to reference the supplied dataset.
Ensure you read the marking criteria.
Develop an understanding of each of the data elements in the dataset. Do not limit your analysis to the most obvious variables.
The supplied dataset is relatively small so it is not expected that the analyses here would be definitive. You are expected to treat the dataset as if there were more cases than there actually are, so that the solutions you may suggest should be considered to be more valid than they will actually be with this selection of data. You do not need to note this in the report.
Secondary diagnoses are defined as any diagnosis after the principal.
Appendices may be included but will not contribute to the grade for this assessment.

Length: Maximum 2500 words

Criteria:
10% Constructs a review of the literature to identify and discuss issues relevant to the topic
20% Designs a clear and logical data analysis strategy that is logically sequenced and structured and addresses the points raised in the topic
20% Performs an analysis of the supplied data in a manner consistent with the data analysis strategy to provide appropriate answers to the points raised in the topic
30% Recommends contemporary and achievable approaches to address the points raised in the topic
10% Validates perspectives through correct interpretation of relevant and current literature (> year 2003)
10% Produces correct grammar, spelling, formatting, style (report) and referencing
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