Automatic extraction of intensity-intervention scores from a computerized surgical intensive care unit flowsheet

Systems that objectively score severity of illness and intensity of patient care interventions have been used to guide the appropriate use of intensive care facilities, provide information on nurse staffing ratios, validate subjective classifications of patient illness, and normalize scientific and financial studies for severity of illness. Existing scoring systems require a well-trained observer to perform a thorough chart review to complete manual scoring forms. We have designed a new system in which computerized intensity-intervention scores are automatically extracted from electronic intensive care unit flowsheets, eliminating both manual labor and potential observer variation. In prospective studies, these computerized scores correlated well with manual TISS scores, intensive care unit mortality, intensive care unit length of stay, hospital length of stay, and a subjective classification of patients to graded levels of hospital care. Such automated scores may be used for real-time allocation of health care resources and normalization of prospective studies for severity of illness.