Introducing CareGauge, a new patient data tool
Beginning Oct., 29, 2024, most physicians and APPs at St. Mary’s, St. James and St. Vincent will have access to a dynamic new tool that will provide real-time care-utilization data for all patients you're currently treating. The platform is called CareGauge and it is available within Epic.
The data gathered and displayed will be linked to the patient's DRG. For that reason, practitioners in specialties such as Emergency Services and Anesthesia won't find the data meaningful for them and, therefore, won't have access. Further, the platform isn't approved for pediatric patients. However, for all other specialties, the CareGauge data will allow you to evaluate your own practice patterns and compare your patients' care utilization and costs with those of other patients at your hospital with the same or similar conditions being treated by your colleagues.
This additional insight, based on your patterns and local real-time data, provides you with the opportunity to make better-informed care decisions during your patients' stay, potentially streamlining care, reducing costs and lowering lengths of stay, among other quality improvements.
Accessing CareGauge
CareGauge launch points will populate within Epic as soon as the patient has a working DRG. From there, you will find four launch points within the patient encounter workflow:
Two important items of note:
CareGauge will not override or attempt to alter your clinical decision-making. This is a passive decision-support tool that can offer you a deeper understanding of the patient-care decisions you make and give you an opportunity to improve and streamline the care you provide.
This is not intended to be punitive. There are no hard stops or alerts informing you that you're ordering the "wrong" care. Further, based on their complexity and acuity, it is understood and expected that certain patients will be "in the red."
Physicians and APPs interested in more information can review these sources:
The CareGauge Tip Sheet, which includes much of the information offered above.
Two FAQs, one developed by CareGauge and the other by Intermountain Health, answer questions about how the data will be gathered, presented and used to benefit you and your patients.
If you have additional questions, contact one of your care site’s physician champions:
St. James Hospital: Kendra Brown, NP, and Ian MacDonald, DO
St. Mary's Hospital: Dan Belatti, MD, Steve O'Day, MD, and Mike White, MD
St. Vincent Hospital: Tya Campbell, MD, and Bo Stapler, MD
Thank you in advance for your curiosity about the data CareGauge offers and your interest in considering how it might help you improve the quality and efficiency of the care you provide.