Speaking the same language: improving evaluation of patient-focused outcomes using standardized terminology

As the practice of medicine grows in complexity and the public calls for demonstrated value at decreased cost, the need for increasing effectiveness of both providing care and evaluating patient outcomes becomes paramount. This paper will demonstrate the success of utilizing a standardized taxonomy within an automated patient record to provide cues to clinicians regarding individual, patient-focused outcomes as well as timely evaluation of aggregated patient outcomes data. A case study will be used to illustrate dynamic evaluation of clinical outcomes following cardiac surgery.