Table 1 Example pipeline of data processing from raw patient-physician encounter records to referral paths and edges of referral network
(a) Raw visiting records | ||
Patient | Physician | date;HRR;HRRcity;state;zipcode;workRVU;specialty;PHN;teaching type; etc. |
α | A | 2011-01-01;1010;Hanover;NH;03755;1.0;family practice;First hospital;0;etc. |
α | B | 2011-01-10;1020;Boston;MA;02101;3.0;internal medicine;Second hospital;1; etc. |
α | C | 2011-02-01;1050;New York;NY;10021;4.0;cardiology;Third hospital;1;etc. |
β | B | 2011-03-01;1012;Lebanon;NH;03784;2.0;family practice;Fourth hospital;0;etc. |
β | C | 2011-03-20;1022;Newton;MA;02461;5.0;vascular surgery;Fifth hospital;1; etc. |
(b) Referral path | ||
Patient | Node(date;#visiting records; RVU),divided by "->" | |
α | A(2011-01-01;1.0,1.0)->B(2011-01-10;1.0;3.0)->C(2011-02-01;1.0;4.0) | |
β | B(2011-03-01;1.0;2.0)->C(2011-03-20;1.0;5.0) | |
(c) Edges in the national referral network with the weights over all referral paths | ||
Directed edge | Weights of an edge | |
A->B | 3; 4; 4.82; 12.14; 23.42 | |
B->C | 5; 5; 5.12; 12.32; 18.22 | |