Linking the Computerized Severity Index (CSI) to coded patient findings in the HELP system patient database

The Computerized Severity Index (CSI) is a commercially available scoring system for hospital inpatients. Trained abstractors review the patient's paper medical record and enter the diagnoses and relevant physiological facts. The HELP (Health Evaluation Through Logical Processing) System at LDS Hospital stores patient data in discrete codes. We believe that HELP's coded patient database may drive an automatic version of CSI without the need for manual input. This descriptive study examines the nature and depth of the HELP System patient findings needed to implement an automatic CSI.