Momoko Iwamoto1, Takahiro Higashi2, Hiroki Miura3, Takahiro Kawaguchi3, Shigeyuki Tanaka3, Itsuku Yamashita3, Tetsusuke Yoshimoto4, Shigeaki Yoshida3, Motohiro Matoba5. 1. Division of Health Services Research, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center, Chuo-ku, Tokyo moiwamot@ncc.go.jp. 2. Division of Health Services Research, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. 3. Department of Palliative Care, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori City, Aomori. 4. Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Chukyo Hospital, Minami-ku, Nagoya. 5. Department of Palliative Care, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The state of opioid consumption among cancer patients has never been comprehensively investigated in Japan. The Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data may be used to measure and monitor opioid consumption among cancer patients, but the accuracy of using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination data for this purpose has never been tested. METHODS: We aimed to ascertain the accuracy of using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data for estimating total opioid analgesic consumption by cancer patients compared with electronic medical records at Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital. We calculated percent differences between estimates obtained from electronic medical records and Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data by month and drug type (morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, buprenorphine, codeine and tramadol) between 1 October 2012 and 30 September 2013, and further examined the causes of discrepancy by reviewing medical and administrative charts between April and July 2013. RESULTS: Percent differences varied by month for drug types with small prescription volumes, but less so for drugs with larger prescription volumes. Differences also tended to diminish when consumption was compared for a year instead of a month. Total percent difference between electronic medical records and Diagnosis Procedure Combination data during the study period was -0.1% (4721 mg per year per hospital), as electronic medical records as baseline. Half of the discrepancy was caused by errors in data entry. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data can be used to accurately estimate opioid consumption among a population of cancer patients, although the same conclusion cannot be made for individual estimates or when making estimates for a group of patients over a short period of time.
OBJECTIVE: The state of opioid consumption among cancerpatients has never been comprehensively investigated in Japan. The Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data may be used to measure and monitor opioid consumption among cancerpatients, but the accuracy of using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination data for this purpose has never been tested. METHODS: We aimed to ascertain the accuracy of using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data for estimating total opioid analgesic consumption by cancerpatients compared with electronic medical records at Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital. We calculated percent differences between estimates obtained from electronic medical records and Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data by month and drug type (morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, buprenorphine, codeine and tramadol) between 1 October 2012 and 30 September 2013, and further examined the causes of discrepancy by reviewing medical and administrative charts between April and July 2013. RESULTS: Percent differences varied by month for drug types with small prescription volumes, but less so for drugs with larger prescription volumes. Differences also tended to diminish when consumption was compared for a year instead of a month. Total percent difference between electronic medical records and Diagnosis Procedure Combination data during the study period was -0.1% (4721 mg per year per hospital), as electronic medical records as baseline. Half of the discrepancy was caused by errors in data entry. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data can be used to accurately estimate opioid consumption among a population of cancerpatients, although the same conclusion cannot be made for individual estimates or when making estimates for a group of patients over a short period of time.