The primary purpose of this project was to collect and analyze data using the revised Tele-Emergency Performance Assessment Reporting Tool (T-PART) from the six Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Grant Program (EB TNGP) grantees on all their tele-emergency department (tele-ED) cases and a matched sample of non-tele-ED cases to conduct comparative effectiveness analysis to help establish the evidence base for tele-ED. EB TNGP grantees and their rural hospital partners were expected to use the T-PART to collect and edit the defined visit-level data elements, and to export and submit on a periodic basis, a de-identified patient-level data file to our Rural Telehealth Research Center for analysis. Data monitoring and management activities included:

1. Overseeing the progress of the data collection process.
2. Quality control measures to identify specific areas for improvement.
3. Identifying root causes of any problems.
4. Taking steps to correct processes and reduce or eliminate problems.

The aim of the data monitoring and management function was to verify data accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness. A specific effort to identify an approach for selecting ED patients that were suitable for a comparison group on non-tele-ED care was a very important issue that was undertaken. After analysis of characteristics of tele-ED cases, we developed a protocol and requested 3-to-1 matches for specific tele-ED cases. Specific directions for identifying comparison records were sent to each grantee identifying matches at the same hospital, same disease ICD-10 category, same age category, and same sex when possible.

There may be products related to this project; please contact the lead researcher for more information.