Knowledge Activity: Applied Data Analytics III
(Informatics)
Prerequisites
1. Use of Microsoft Excel® is required to complete this activity
2. This activity is the third activity in a sequential 5-activity series. Completion of the
activities below is required to successfully complete this activity:
Orientation to Data Analytics I
Applied Data Analytics II
Student instructions
3. If you have questions about this activity, please contact your instructor for assistance.
4. You will review a de-identified patient chart to complete this activity. Your instructor has
provided you with a link to the Applied Data Analytics III (Informatics) activity. Click on
2: Launch EHR to review the patient chart and begin this activity.
5. Refer to the patient chart and any suggested resources to complete this activity.
6. Document your answers directly on this activity document as you complete the activity.
When you are finished, you will save this activity document to your device and upload
this activity document with your answers to your Learning Management System (LMS).
The activity
Recently, the local paper did an article on the nation's high rate of cesarean section deliveries.
The journalist featured interviews with Shoreline Birth Center doctors and patients who either
perform or had undergone cesarean sections. The Birth Center felt that the press would
negatively impact their bottom line and were hopeful that an analysis of birth data would show
Shoreline does not perform more cesarean section deliveries than the national average.
However, Shoreline’s birth data revealed a cesarean section rate of 34%, 1.9% higher than the
national average of 32.1%. The medical director believes that the Birth Center has a higher
cesarean section rate because they are the area’s only high-risk birth center. Being a high-risk
birth center means that Shoreline receives a higher percentage of high risk births. She believes
that Shoreline’s high rate of cesarean section is related to the high-risk births and that cesarean
section results in a safer birth experience for these families. Shoreline's Public Relations officer is
happy to hear that Shoreline's high rate of cesarean may be related to a high rate of high-risk
patients, but she feels the public also needs to know that Shoreline is the safest place to give
birth. She would like to know the Perioperative mortality rate (POMR) at Shoreline.
You have been asked to research this issue and present your findings to the Shoreline Board.
EHR Go Knowledge Activity: Applied Data Analytics III (Informatics) IK1025.8
Archetype Innovations LLC ©2025 1
, Read the resources listed below (all found under 1: Overview & Resources along with this activity
document).
Measuring Perioperative Mortality Rate (POMR)
Perioperative mortality rate meta-analysis
Tracking perioperative mortality and maternal mortality
What is a high-risk pregnancy
Then answer the questions below.
Questions
1. What is POMR? POMR is Perioperative Mortality Rate and it is a performance indicator
used to measure the quality and safety of surgical and anesthesia care. It specifically
refers to the death of a patient during or after a surgical procedure.
2. How is POMR measured? POMR is measured by tracking deaths that occur after a
major surgery either on the same day as surgery or death before discharge from the
hospital or within 30 days of the procedure, whichever comes first.
3. How is the POMR rate expressed? The POMR rate is expressed as the number of deaths
(numerator) divided by the total number of procedures (denominator).
4. What is the median POMR for cesarean section in low- to middle-income countries?
Refer to the table on page 5 of the Perioperative mortality rate meta-analysis resource
that accompanied this activity document under 1: Overview and Resources. A review of
studies in low and middle-income countries found that the pooled POMR for cesarean
delivery was 0.05%. However, some individual studies reported rates as high as 16%.
5. If high-income counties reported lower POMR rates than low-to-middle income
countries, what do you think could account for the different POMR rates? Access to
quality care, patient risk factors, issues with data collection & reporting, and
proportion of emergency surgeries vs. elective procedures are factors that could
account for the different POMR rates.
6. Why is POMR measurement important? POMR measurement is important because it’s
an indicator of safe and quality surgical and anesthesia procedures in a hospital. It can
also be used to identify areas of improvement within pre- & post-operative
assessments.
7. What are some of the challenges in getting an accurate POMR around the world?
Challenges that make it difficult to obtain an accurate POMR include the lack of
standardized calculations of POMR, incomplete data collection, and data
fragmentation.
Review the de-identified EHR that accompanies this activity under 2: Launch EHR and answer
the following questions.
8. Would this case be counted in Shoreline’s POMR? Why or why not? Yes, this case would
be counted on Shoreline’s POMR because the death occurred within 24 hrs after
surgery occurred.
2
(Informatics)
Prerequisites
1. Use of Microsoft Excel® is required to complete this activity
2. This activity is the third activity in a sequential 5-activity series. Completion of the
activities below is required to successfully complete this activity:
Orientation to Data Analytics I
Applied Data Analytics II
Student instructions
3. If you have questions about this activity, please contact your instructor for assistance.
4. You will review a de-identified patient chart to complete this activity. Your instructor has
provided you with a link to the Applied Data Analytics III (Informatics) activity. Click on
2: Launch EHR to review the patient chart and begin this activity.
5. Refer to the patient chart and any suggested resources to complete this activity.
6. Document your answers directly on this activity document as you complete the activity.
When you are finished, you will save this activity document to your device and upload
this activity document with your answers to your Learning Management System (LMS).
The activity
Recently, the local paper did an article on the nation's high rate of cesarean section deliveries.
The journalist featured interviews with Shoreline Birth Center doctors and patients who either
perform or had undergone cesarean sections. The Birth Center felt that the press would
negatively impact their bottom line and were hopeful that an analysis of birth data would show
Shoreline does not perform more cesarean section deliveries than the national average.
However, Shoreline’s birth data revealed a cesarean section rate of 34%, 1.9% higher than the
national average of 32.1%. The medical director believes that the Birth Center has a higher
cesarean section rate because they are the area’s only high-risk birth center. Being a high-risk
birth center means that Shoreline receives a higher percentage of high risk births. She believes
that Shoreline’s high rate of cesarean section is related to the high-risk births and that cesarean
section results in a safer birth experience for these families. Shoreline's Public Relations officer is
happy to hear that Shoreline's high rate of cesarean may be related to a high rate of high-risk
patients, but she feels the public also needs to know that Shoreline is the safest place to give
birth. She would like to know the Perioperative mortality rate (POMR) at Shoreline.
You have been asked to research this issue and present your findings to the Shoreline Board.
EHR Go Knowledge Activity: Applied Data Analytics III (Informatics) IK1025.8
Archetype Innovations LLC ©2025 1
, Read the resources listed below (all found under 1: Overview & Resources along with this activity
document).
Measuring Perioperative Mortality Rate (POMR)
Perioperative mortality rate meta-analysis
Tracking perioperative mortality and maternal mortality
What is a high-risk pregnancy
Then answer the questions below.
Questions
1. What is POMR? POMR is Perioperative Mortality Rate and it is a performance indicator
used to measure the quality and safety of surgical and anesthesia care. It specifically
refers to the death of a patient during or after a surgical procedure.
2. How is POMR measured? POMR is measured by tracking deaths that occur after a
major surgery either on the same day as surgery or death before discharge from the
hospital or within 30 days of the procedure, whichever comes first.
3. How is the POMR rate expressed? The POMR rate is expressed as the number of deaths
(numerator) divided by the total number of procedures (denominator).
4. What is the median POMR for cesarean section in low- to middle-income countries?
Refer to the table on page 5 of the Perioperative mortality rate meta-analysis resource
that accompanied this activity document under 1: Overview and Resources. A review of
studies in low and middle-income countries found that the pooled POMR for cesarean
delivery was 0.05%. However, some individual studies reported rates as high as 16%.
5. If high-income counties reported lower POMR rates than low-to-middle income
countries, what do you think could account for the different POMR rates? Access to
quality care, patient risk factors, issues with data collection & reporting, and
proportion of emergency surgeries vs. elective procedures are factors that could
account for the different POMR rates.
6. Why is POMR measurement important? POMR measurement is important because it’s
an indicator of safe and quality surgical and anesthesia procedures in a hospital. It can
also be used to identify areas of improvement within pre- & post-operative
assessments.
7. What are some of the challenges in getting an accurate POMR around the world?
Challenges that make it difficult to obtain an accurate POMR include the lack of
standardized calculations of POMR, incomplete data collection, and data
fragmentation.
Review the de-identified EHR that accompanies this activity under 2: Launch EHR and answer
the following questions.
8. Would this case be counted in Shoreline’s POMR? Why or why not? Yes, this case would
be counted on Shoreline’s POMR because the death occurred within 24 hrs after
surgery occurred.
2
