Data Mining Research Paper:
A data mining approach in home healthcare: outcomes and service use

Abstract
Background

The purpose of this research is to understand the performance of home healthcare practice in the US. The relationships between home healthcare patient factors and agency characteristics are not well understood. In particular, discharge destination and length of stay have not been studied using a data mining approach which may provide insights not obtained through traditional statistical analyses.

Methods

The data were obtained from the 2000 National Home and Hospice Care Survey data for three specific conditions (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure and hip replacement), representing nearly 580 patients from across the US. The data mining approach used was CART (Classification and Regression Trees). Our aim was twofold: 1) determining the drivers of home healthcare service outcomes (discharge destination and length of stay) and 2) examining the applicability of induction through data mining to home healthcare data.

Results

Patient age (85 and older) was a driving force in discharge destination and length of stay for all three conditions. There were also impacts from the type of agency, type of payment, and ethnicity.

Conclusion

Patients over 85 years of age experience differential outcomes depending on the condition. There are also differential effects related to agency type by condition although length of stay was generally lower for hospital-based agencies. The CART procedure was sufficiently accurate in correctly classifying patients in all three conditions which suggests continuing utility in home health care.

A research paper on data mining in health care sector by Elizabeth A Madigan and Olivier Louis Curet. Both of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, USA.

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/6/18

If you want to write a research paper quickly, I highly recommend you to visit Rapid Research Papers.

Related Reading:

Writing a Successful Research Paper: A Simple ApproachThis brief, practical guide offers a clear and comprehensive strategy for conceptualizing, approaching, and executing the task of writing a research p... Read More >

Writing the Research Paper: A Handbook, 2009 MLA Update EditionGet simple, specific guidance on writing a research paper with WRITING THE RESEARCH PAPER: A HANDBOOK, 7E. With its easy-to-digest steps that demystif... Read More >

McGraw-Hill's Concise Guide to Writing Research Papers (Perfect Phrases Series)

Write an effective research paper--no sweat!

The words “research paper” may send a chill down your spine. You're thinking about t... Read More >

Writing a Research Paper in Political ScienceLearn to write a great research paper with WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER IN POLITICAL SCIENCE! This concise political science text is more than just a typi... Read More >

Writing the Research Paper: A HandbookGet simple, specific guidance on writing a research paper with WRITING THE RESEARCH PAPER: A HANDBOOK, Seventh Edition. With its easy-to-digest steps ... Read More >