Automated data integrity auditing system

1. An automated computerized method for evaluating and scoring the integrity of data provided by an organization, comprising the steps of:

receiving coded data from the organization;

checking the coded data for proper coding and completeness;

storing the coded data in a computer database together with indicators specifying bad data found during said checking step;

applying at least one data integrity test to a portion of data stored in said database that does not have any bad data specified by an indicator;

identifying any data validity problems located by said at least one data integrity test; and

assigning a score to the portion of data based on said at least one data integrity test, said score being based upon at least one of (i) a percentage of data integrity tests passed, (ii) available explanations for any improbable data, and (iii) the likelihood of failure of a particular test; and generating a real-time report identifying at least one of (i) said score (ii) said data validity problems; or (iii) suggestions for resolving said data validity problems; wherein said report comprises at least one of: identification of data integrity issues; options for prevention of data validity problems which include the revision of individual item responses in the data provided and suggested documentation required to explain each data integrity issue that represents unusual clinical circumstances rather than an assessment error; identification of potential sources of assessment error and potential remedies for said assessment error; documentation prompts related to at least one of facility-level, chain-level, association-level, and community-level data integrity issues; and identification of in-service training and process needs.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising: analyzing aggregate consistency measures with respect to a pre-specified limit.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a second report that identifies coding and completeness problems identified during said checking step.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said second report also provides suggestions for resolving said coding and completeness problems.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 , further comprising:

generating a third report that identifies individual data integrity issues determined during the data integrity test; and

providing said third report to said organization on a real-time basis.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said third report also provides suggestions for resolving said data integrity issues.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

applying weights to the results of said data integrity test; and

using said weights to present said score from different perspectives.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the weights applied to the results of the data integrity test are based on the likelihood of a plausible excuse for particular data.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said report further comprises documentation prompts where the entry of valid data results in the generation of a data integrity issue, said documentation prompts indicating documentation to be checked and the required documentation needed to explain the data integrity issue.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said report further comprises identification of common sources of error and identification of systematic repairs to correct said errors.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the report further comprises identification of at least one of locations, dates, and assessment types giving rise to data integrity issues.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said report further comprises identification of facility-level data integrity issues.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said report further comprises identification of chain-level data integrity issues.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said report further comprises identification of network-level data integrity issues.

15. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said report further comprises identification of community-level data integrity issues.

16. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the report further comprises:

identification of specific areas of weakness based on repeated data integrity issues, including at least one of processes of assessment, coding, and documentation;

identification of methods of improving data integrity issues in such area(s) of weakness; and

identification of the financial impact of data validity problems on the provider organization.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the report further comprises:

identification and dissemination of best practices in assessment and documentation in response to common data validity issues.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the report further comprises a notice that a facility's excessive rate of a specific item response or combination of specific item responses exceeds a predetermined confidence limit.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the report further identifies specific patient populations for the purpose of determining education required at the point of service.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the report further identifies specific patient populations for the purpose of determining specific sales channels of goods required by such a patient population.

21. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the report further identifies specific patient populations for the purpose of determining a patient referral network.

22. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the report further comprises identification of supplies needed by a facility based on the patient population of the facility.

23. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the data integrity test is based in part on the prevalence and incidence rates of diagnoses, conditions, and symptoms within a clinical population.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23 where the prevalence and incidence rates are absolute.

25. A method in accordance with claim 23 where the prevalence and incidence rates are relative.

26. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said data are provided via at least one of manual data entry or scanning of forms.

27. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one data integrity test comprises testing for a logically consistent relationship between at least two items of said coded data.

28. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one data integrity test comprises testing for a clinically consistent relationship between at least two items of said coded data.