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Introduction

Introducing the Updated {healthyR.data} Package: Your Ultimate Health Data Companion

If you’re a healthcare professional or a data enthusiast, you’re probably familiar with the healthyR.data package. This R package has been an invaluable resource for accessing and analyzing public health data. With its latest release, version 1.0.3, the package has undergone some significant changes, including the addition of several new functions and a requirement for R version 3.4.0. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the updates and how they can help you work with health data more efficiently.

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Breaking Changes

In keeping with tidyverse practices, healthyR.data now requires R version 3.4.0. This change may affect some users who haven’t updated their R version recently, but it’s an important step to keep the package up-to-date and compatible with other tidyverse packages.

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New Functions

One of the main highlights of the new version is the addition of several new functions. Let’s take a look at each one and how it can help you work with health data:

• dl_hosp_data_dict(): This function downloads the data dictionary for the Hospital Compare dataset. This information can be crucial when working with health data, as it provides a clear understanding of the variables and their definitions.

• current_hosp_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Hospital Compare dataset, which includes information on hospital quality, patient experience, and more.

• current_asc_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) dataset, which includes information on ASC quality measures.

• current_asc_oas_cahps_data(): This function retrieves the most recent ASC Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) dataset, which includes patient experience measures for ASCs.

• current_comp_death_data(): This function retrieves the most recent data on hospital mortality rates for conditions such as heart attack, pneumonia, and stroke.

• current_hai_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) dataset, which includes information on infections acquired during hospitalization.

• current_hcahps_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) dataset, which includes patient experience measures for hospitals.

• current_hvbp_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) dataset, which includes information on hospital quality and payment incentives.

• current_ipfqr_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting (IPFQR) dataset, which includes information on psychiatric facility quality measures.

• current_maternal_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Maternal and Infant Health Care Quality dataset, which includes information on maternal and infant health outcomes.

• current_medicare_hospital_spending_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Medicare Hospital Spending by Claim dataset, which includes information on Medicare payments for hospital services.

• current_opqr_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Quality Reporting (OPQR) dataset, which includes information on outpatient facility quality measures.

• current_imaging_efficiency_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Radiology Imaging Efficiency (RIE) dataset, which includes information on the appropriateness of imaging studies.

• current_unplanned_hospital_visits_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Unplanned Hospital Visits dataset, which includes information on hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.

• current_payments_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Provider-Level Payments dataset, which includes information on payments to healthcare providers.

• current_pch_hcahps_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) dataset.

• current_pch_hai_hospital_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Hospital dataset, which includes information on healthcare-associated infections in PCMH hospitals.

• current_pch_oncology_measures_hospital_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Oncology Measures Hospital dataset, which includes information on oncology measures in PCMH hospitals.

• current_pch_outcomes_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Outcomes dataset, which includes information on outcomes for PCMH practices.

• current_timely_and_effective_care_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Timely and Effective Care dataset, which includes information on hospital performance on timely and effective care measures.

• current_va_data(): This function retrieves the most recent Veterans Affairs (VA) dataset, which includes information on VA hospital quality measures.

All of these functions provide valuable access to important health data, allowing users to perform detailed analyses and gain insights into various aspects of healthcare quality and outcomes.

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Other Improvements

In addition to the new functions, healthyR.data version 1.0.3 also includes several bug fixes and improvements. For example, the logic in the current_hosp_data() function has been confirmed by user feedback.

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Conclusion

The healthyR.data package has long been a valuable resource for anyone working with health data. With the latest release, version 1.0.3, the package has become even more powerful and versatile, thanks to the addition of many new functions and improvements. If you’re a healthcare professional, researcher, or data enthusiast, healthyR.data is a must-have tool in your arsenal. Give it a try and see how it can help you gain new insights into the world of healthcare quality and outcomes.